A UQ academic's research into whether nature or nurture influences the development of gut flora has been published in Nature and may hold the key to understanding obesity.
Dr Florent Angly said the fundamental research was significant since some forms of obesity could be caused by the action of microbiota.
"It is necessary to include phages, or viral predators, in the discussion of microbial communities to get an accurate understanding of how gut flora complements the digestive process.
"This study represents an early step in this direction.
"In the future, it is very likely that our improved understanding of the viral and microbial communities residing in our guts will result in better, personalised dietary advice or the creation of nutritional complements such as pro-biotics to improve our health and wellbeing," Dr Angly said.
continued at MedicalNewsToday.com>>
Dr Florent Angly said the fundamental research was significant since some forms of obesity could be caused by the action of microbiota.
"It is necessary to include phages, or viral predators, in the discussion of microbial communities to get an accurate understanding of how gut flora complements the digestive process.
"This study represents an early step in this direction.
"In the future, it is very likely that our improved understanding of the viral and microbial communities residing in our guts will result in better, personalised dietary advice or the creation of nutritional complements such as pro-biotics to improve our health and wellbeing," Dr Angly said.
continued at MedicalNewsToday.com>>
