Microbiome
Harvard-led study maps gut metabolites that may shape obesity and diabetes risk
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Researchers working at Harvard University and collaborators in Brazil have identified metabolites produced by gut bacteria that travel through the portal vein to the liver and appear to influence energy use and insulin sensitivity in mice. The findings, published in Cell Metabolism, suggest possible new strategies for preventing or treating obesity and type 2 diabetes by targeting gut–liver communication.([sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251214100926.htm?utm_source=openai))
Elizabeth Hohmann, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, spends her days screening potential stool donors for faecal transplants that treat stubborn gut infections. With only about one percent of respondents qualifying, the process is challenging but rewarding. Her work has restored health to patients who previously couldn't function normally.
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A small clinical trial shows that faecal microbiota transplants can improve outcomes for kidney cancer patients on immunotherapy drugs. Participants receiving transplants experienced longer cancer stability and greater tumor shrinkage compared to those given placebos. The approach targets the gut microbiome to boost immune responses against tumors.
Researchers in Finland have found that transplanting gut bacteria from outgoing toddlers into rats leads to more exploratory behavior in the animals. This suggests the microbiome may influence emotional development in early life. The study highlights a potential gut-brain link via dopamine.
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Arizona State University researchers report that people who produce more methane in the gut tend to extract more metabolizable energy from a fiber‑rich diet, pointing to microbiome differences that could inform personalized nutrition. The work appears in The ISME Journal (2025) and was highlighted by ASU on October 24, 2025.