Microbes and Man - new research

A project to shed light on the way microbes can benefit health has gained funding from the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research under a new research programme.

The aim of the Microbes and Man Research Programme is to discover the interactions between host and microbes and to apply new knowledge to the maintenance of health and to the prevention and treatment of diseases.

Among the areas and issues covered in these projects are allergies, intestinal immune defence mechanisms, the role of microbes in cardiovascular diseases and the impacts of probiots in humans.

The two funding bodies said they hoped the programme would encourage closer collaboration among researchers, promote researcher training and create competitive research environments. It is also hoped that the programme will raise the scientific standards of research, increasing its international visibility and boost communications and the application of research results.

A total of €5.4 million has been earmarked for the programme, with the Academy accounting for the bulk (€4.1 million) and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research for the remaining €1.3 million.