The Gut Microbiota and Human Health | Interview with Prof. Dr. Peter C. Konturek

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Video interview with Prof. Dr. Peter C. Konturek from Thuringia Clinic Saalfeld, Teaching Hospital of the University of Jena, Germany. His research focus on "The Gut Microbiota and Human Health".

Gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a home to nearly a trillion microbes that are compromised of bacteria, viruses, fungi and others microorganisms. This collection of microbes is called gut microbiota (GM). In the last years, great advances in understanding the physiological and pathological role of microbes in the GI tract have been achieved. There is now much more evidence that this largest human-associated microbial community has considerable influence on human health.

The most important challenges in the GM research include: 1) the development of healthy microbiota during childhood; 2) the role of GM in aging and age-related diseases such as Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer’s disease; 3) the role of GM in chronic inflammatory and functional diseases of the GI tract ( inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome); 4) impact of GM to host metabolisms and metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome or chronic metabolic fatty liver disease; 5) functional role of GM in the carcinogenesis and response to chemotherapy.

A better knowledge of GM ( in both healthy and diseases state) will encourage the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for associated diseases.