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Revision as of 18:26, 29 June 2015
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The number of microorganisms in human gut is higher than the number of human cells in our body. The metabolic activity of the gut bacteria equals that of liver and plays crucial role in many key processes such as digestion, drug metabolism, or functioning of the immune system... 
Surprisingly, studies in mice have shown that the gut microbiome is also capable of influencing our brain chemistry, thus regulating our behaviour, anxiety, mood, cognition and pain... 
Being inspired by this emerging research area, UCL iGEM 2015 team wants to explore the modulation of the gut bacteria as a strategy for developing novel treatments for mental health disorders. Ultimately, our goal is to harness synthetic biology to make people happy!
Mind the Gut: Abstract
The human gut is inhabited by more microorganisms than the number of human cells in our bodies, which collectively express 150 times as many genes as our own cells. The gut microbiota play crucial role in maintaining our gut homeostasis and influence many key processes such as digestion, drug metabolism, or functioning of the immune system.Surprisingly, the gut microbiome might also be capable of influencing our brain chemistry, behaviour, and state of mind! Studies in germ-free mice and in mice exposed to pathogenic bacteria, probiotics or antibiotics have shown that the gut bacteria can regulate our anxiety, mood, cognition and pain (Cryan and Dinan, 2012).
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