Objectives and work packages

FIBRE-MATCH research focuses on the interactions between dietary fibres and the gut microbiome, integrating existing large datasets and statistical modelling techniques to guide sample selection for mechanistic studies, which together inform the design of the prototype food, to be tested in subjects stratified based on their microbiome’s capacity to optimally metabolise the given dietary fibre.

FIBRE-MATCH concept and key research activities in each work package.  

WP1 Data analysis and machine learning 

Lead Partner: University of Helsinki   
WP leader: Anne Salonen  
Contact Details: anne.salonen@helsinki.fi 

Objectives: The aim is to identify metagenome-based gut microbiome types differing in their inferred capacity to metabolise common dietary fibres and the resultant gas. Further, we aim to characterise metagenomic features of the gut microbiome that associate with gas-related gastrointestinal symptoms in healthy subjects and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. The project utilizes existing stool metagenome data from the partners and from the public domain.  

WP2 In vitro screening and metabolic modelling 

Lead Partner: Technical University of Tallinn    
WP leader: Kaarel Adamberg   
Contact Details: kaarel.adamberg@taltech.ee

Objectives: To identify dietary fibre-related microbial metabolic phenotypes of the human gut microbiota by characterizing the key metabolite outputs from common dietary fibres by representative functional gut microbiome types from WP1 in in vitro screening.  

WP3 Processing and preparing the prototype fibre products 

Lead Partner: University of Helsinki   
WP leader: Anne-Maria Pajari   
Contact Details: anne-maria.pajari@helsinki.fi

Objectives: To develop, based on the results of WP1 and WP2, a tailored intervention strategy with fermented fibre-rich food prototype product.  WP2 will also develop a database on the contents of different dietary fibres in foods to facilitate analysis of food consumption data from the gut microbiota perspective and specific dietary recommendations for fibre. 

WP4 PoC human feeding trials 

Lead Partner: Örebro University 
WP leader: Robert Jan Brummer   
Contact Details: robert.brummer@oru.se

Objectives: To conduct two PoC trials, one in healthy volunteers and one in IBS patients, to test whether consumption of a microbiome-tailored dietary fibre decreases gas-related digestive symptoms in comparison to an unmatched fibre and/or enhances the health effects associated with fibre consumption. We will also study whether tailored nutritional advice, specifically focusing on fibre type, increases adherence to dietary guidelines, i.e., increases the intake of dietary fibre in habitual diet. 

In addition to the above research work packages, the project has work packages for communication and dissemination (WP5), coordination and project management (WP6), and portfolio management (WP7).