Investigating gut microbiome in tumor cachexia

While the exact causes of cachexia remain unclear, growing evidence suggests that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role. The microbiome can trigger inflammation, disrupting nutrient absorption and energy metabolism, which accelerates muscle wasting. 

The "MiCCrobioTAckle" project, fully titled MiCCrobioTackle: Advancing Research at the Intersection Between Gut Microbiota and Cancer Cachexia to Train Europe’s Future Leaders in Microbiota Medicine, aims to study the interactions between the gut microbiome and tumor cachexia. Through this research, the team hopes to identify ways to slow down or prevent muscle breakdown in cancer patients. 

With a budget exceeding €3 million, the four-year 2MiCCrobioTAckle2 project unites 24 academic and industrial partners from 12 countries. The international collaboration will train 12 PhD researchers to become experts in the field of microbiota medicine, fostering future leaders in both academia and industry. Participating partners include universities and research institutions from Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Hungary, and the Netherlands, as well as the biotech company Caelus Pharmaceuticals, based in Amsterdam. 

One of the key objectives is to apply the findings from cancer-related cachexia to other metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, in the future. "'MiCCrobioTAckle' is an important step forward in microbiota medicine," says Prof. Dr. Gianni Panagiotou, the project coordinator.  

At Leibniz-HKI, Panagiotou’s team will focus on bioinformatics to better understand tumor cachexia. One project will involve analyzing biological data from cancer patients to develop machine learning algorithms that predict cachexia risk. Another will create computer-based metabolic models, in collaboration with Danish partners, to design microbial therapies for cachexia. A third project, involving a clinical study in lung cancer patients with Hungarian collaborators, will aim to identify biomarkers that predict the likelihood of cachexia. 

The project’s training program for PhD candidates is designed to foster comprehensive expertise in the gut microbiome and its medical applications. The initiative will also integrate training from institutions in the USA and UK through workshops and specialized courses. 

Through this project, Panagiotou’s team contributes to the broader "Balance of the Microverse" Cluster of Excellence at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), this cluster examines the balance of microbial communities and their interactions with their environments, adding a valuable dimension to the field of microbiota research. 

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans Knöll Institute