The Patil group is part of a new collaboration between groups in the US, Japan, Australia, and the UK that aims to understand how changes to our gut microbiome in early life impact neurodevelopment. The project is supported by Wellcome Leap as a part of their Foundation Of a Resilient Microbiome (FORM) initiative. The Patil group will investigate the production of beneficial metabolites by gut bacteria and how this could be enhanced.
Wellcome Leap is a U.S. nonprofit that funds bold, unconventional global research programs at scale, providing the resources to tackle emerging human health challenges in years, not decades. At present Wellcome Leap’s global health network encompasses over 170 organizations across 6 continents, representing more than 1,500,000 researchers. The organization's proven approach to generating breakthroughs is modelled on DARPA, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
There is a strong link between the gut microbiome and our brain, known as the gut-brain axis. The FORM project aims to uncover if disruptions to the gut bacteria in early life cause neurodevelopmental differences in neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals, including autistic individuals who experience significant daily challenges related to communication, sensory processing, or co-occurring conditions that substantially affect their quality of life.
The gut microbiome, the community of bacteria living in our intestine, is essential for our health. The microbiome develops throughout life from the first moments we enter the world, influencing our digestion, immune system, and even ageing.
From birth to two years of age the gut microbiome changes considerably, influenced by factors in our environment including the mother’s microbiome, birth mode, diet, and antibiotic use. Some of these create a resilient gut microbiome whilst others create stress. At the end of this formative period, the gut microbiome stabilises and approaches adult-like maturity.
By the age of two, the gut microbiome has already delivered key signals to our immune and metabolic systems which are key determinants of later health. Initial studies in animals suggests that this could be also true for neurodevelopment.
FORM plans to develop tests that identify a dysfunctional gut microbiome and investigate potential causal links with cognitive, social, language, and executive function development.
Alongside Kiran Patil, program leader at the MRC Toxicology Unit and Biochemistry Department, FORM will include researchers from the United States, Japan and Australia. Partners are being announced on the FORM website.
By linking functional gut microbial changes to early brain development, the researchers aim to identify key developmental stages where early support can improve developmental outcomes by addressing underlying biological stressors. This would involve delivering important bacterial species or metabolites (created by breaking down or joining together components in food) to protect the gut microbiome.
This research is being conducted in partnership with autistic adults, families with lived experience, and autistic-led organisations, who are involved in ongoing decision-making, ethics oversight, interpretation of findings, and how results are communicated.
Professor Kiran Patil said “We are delighted to be part of this exciting global initiative investigating causal links between the gut microbiome and healthy neurodevelopment. We will build on our expertise in microbiome engineering to develop approaches for enhancing beneficial metabolic functions in early-life microbiomes”.