Research

Our research group is focused on the study of dysbiosis in the gut microbiota which is connected with the development of the intestinal inflammation. This issue is studied using gnotobiotic mice model of experimental colitis which is induced by treatment with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). We study the effect of pathogenic and/or probiotic E. coli strains on the development of acute inflammation induced by DSS.

The commensal microbiota affects not only immune system but also nervous system including brain function, emotional behavior and modulation and responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We study the role of microbiota on the regulation of peripheral components of the HPA axis and development of gut inflammation using the chronic or acute mouse stress model.

Little is known about the role of microbiota in pharmacotherapy, but microbiome also affects the biotransformation of xenobiotics. Using specific pathogen-free (SPF) and gnotobiotic mice we study the influence of microbiota in the metabolism of these drugs.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a type of metabolic disorder, which is currently worldwide health issue. DM is a multifactorial disease, one of which appears to be microbiota. To test the role of microbiota or selected bacterial strains on the development of DM we use non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice which are excellent diabetic models.