Eco-evolutionary dynamics of the gut microbiota

The intestinal microbiota is composed of multiple species of microorganisms that have important functions for the health of the human host. These microbial communities result from complex relationships between its single components, yet detailed knowledge about these inter-species dynamics, their evolution and response to external factors remains scarce. This project will investigate the eco-evolutionary dynamics between major species and strains of the human gut microbiota by combining experimental evolution and bioinformatic analyses. The main research objectives are: (1) To characterize the types of relationships established between gut microbial species; (2) to identify genetic changes (mutations and gene flows between species) that may help us to understand adaptive evolution within the human gut; and (3) to investigate how abiotic factors (culture media, diet carbohydrates, oxygen, antibiotics,…) affect these interspecies relationships and evolutionary processes. A deeper comprehension of these processes will be of high value for the rational design of probiotics and for the treatment of gut-associated infectious diseases.