Denmark funds microbiota research on ‘probiotic’ phages

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

- Last updated on GMT

The project will use an obese mice model to show how phages could be used in early life to ‘push’ flora from an obesity-associated composition to one associated with normal weight. © iStock.com
The project will use an obese mice model to show how phages could be used in early life to ‘push’ flora from an obesity-associated composition to one associated with normal weight. © iStock.com

Related tags Bacteria Denmark Microbiology

A University of Copenhagen research project into the use of phages to manipulate gut microbiota is one of 164 “promising projects” to receive funding from the Danish Council for Independent Research (DFF).

Dennis Sandris Nielsen, associate professor of food microbiology at the University of Copenhagen, received 6,293,061 Danish krone (€84,600) for the PhageGut project.

Professor Nielsen and his team will be working with the hypothesis that phages – naturally occurring viruses that attack bacteria – can be used to manipulate intestinal flora composition and that a deeper understanding of this interaction will lead to new ways to control gut flora.

They will use obese mice as a model to show how phages could be used in early life to ‘push’ flora from an obesity-associated composition to one associated with normal weight.

They will use combinations of certain phages isolated from normal weight mice to make this change.    

Overall the DFF awarded 565m kr (€76m) to 164 different projects it thought had the potential to “improve our lives and lifestyle”.

The phages fashion

There has been mounting interest in the role of phages, also known as bacteriophages.

In May the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded a $100,000 (€89,485) research grant​ to the University College Cork in Ireland to explore how phages may influence the balance of ‘good bacteria’ like Bifidobacteria​ and potentially fight harmful bacteria such as enterotoxigenic E.coli​ (ETEC) and Shigella​ in children in developing countries. 

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Prebiocran™, the new gut health solution

Prebiocran™, the new gut health solution

Content provided by Diana Food | 24-May-2023 | Research Study

Symrise is launching Prebiocran™, a 100% cranberry extract in powder designed to fit most of dietary supplement applications thanks to a low dosage: only...

Activate the

Activate the "master metabolic regulator!”

Content provided by Gencor Pacific Limited | 18-May-2023 | Product Brochure

ActivAMP® is extracted from an adaptogenic herb, that contains a family of compounds that upregulate alarmins - including sestrins – which activate an...

Immune support for everyone

Immune support for everyone

Content provided by Kerry | 12-May-2023 | Infographic

Consumers of all ages cite immune health as a top benefit driving their purchases, along with improving gut/digestive health.

Related suppliers

1 comment

probiotic phage is a non-sense

Posted by Zol,

I would like to point that probiotic is a living microorganism as opposed to phage. So "probiotic phage" is a non-sense.
Please be scientific not marketing !

Report abuse

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars