UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The One Health Microbiome Center (OHMC) at Penn State in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences is one of the largest and most active organizations in the field and provides centralized resources to Penn State, the nation and the world. The center fosters a community and partner network for microbiome sciences research and education with a mission to optimize, accelerate and disseminate long-lasting knowledge, resources and impact on the microorganisms that live in environments spanning humans, agriculture and the environment.
The One Health Microbiome Center has grown, and 2024’s most popular articles below highlight the determination and innovative research by Center members in the gut microbiome, nutritional sciences, food science and agriculture, in addition to headlines featuring partnerships and internships paving the way for future success.
To contribute to continued transformative partner-to-empower activities in the coming year, contact the center with suggestions, interests and opportunities for collaborative projects, investments, endowments and partnerships.
The top 10 most popular One Health Microbiome Center-related news articles in 2024:
1. Early life exposure to common chemical permanently disrupts gut microbiome
A team of Penn State scientists led by Andrew Patterson, John T. and Paige S. Smith Professor of Molecular Toxicology and of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, discovered that exposure to “forever chemicals” 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) at an early age may have lasting effects on the gut microbiome and contribute to the increased prevalence of metabolic disorders such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. TCDF is a persistent organic pollutant accumulated in the environment and through the food chain where humans are exposed to it through high-fat foods such as meat, dairy, fish and even breastmilk. Their study used a mouse model to reveal the link between early life exposure to TCDF and permanently altered microbiota that led to metabolic disorders in adult mice.
2. In photos: Internships prepare students for career success
Penn State students who completed summer internships in 2024 gained valuable professional experiences while also benefiting a broad range of employers. The article highlights these student experiences and features the journeys of Ashley Ohstrom and Jamie Spychalla, graduate student center members who participated in an inaugural internship with QIAGEN in Hilden, Germany, as a part of the One Health Microbiome Center’s partnership with the global biotechnology company.
3. Refined dietary fiber may increase risk for inflammatory bowel disease
A study led by Vishal Singh, assistant professor of nutritional physiology and microbiome, suggests that guar gum powder, a refined dietary fiber and common additive in processed foods, may increase the likelihood of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in their mouse model. After studying the effects of guar gum powder versus cellulose as a source of fiber in mice, the researchers found that the mice that were given guar gum powder developed IBD and experienced significantly altered gut microbiota and increased colon inflammation compared to the control group. These findings could have major human health implications and suggest that diets high in processed foods and refined dietary fibers like guar gum powder may have more health risks than previously understood.
4. A Note from Neeli: Penn State at the forefront of microbiome research
After spending a day with center members, Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi shared her insights with the University community, writing “After my visit, I’ve been thinking about how microbiome science is fundamental to Penn State’s land-grant mission to enrich the quality of life for residents of the commonwealth and beyond. The center deeply embodies my vision for growing interdisciplinary excellence, excellence that also transforms health care and enhances student success. ...This type of leading-edge collaboration is critical for solving global issues such as antimicrobial resistance, emerging infectious disease, climate change and food insecurity.”
5. Penn State, QIAGEN announce strategic partnership to advance microbiome sciences
The One Health Microbiome Center officially partnered with QIAGEN LLC, a leading provider of molecular research technologies, in December 2023. This multi-year partnership aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry and further advance the microbial sciences through optimized workflows and exciting educational opportunities. QIAGEN supports the Center by enhancing its research and science education capabilities spanning a new Center Research Collaboratory directed by Jordan Bisanz and enhancing access to the lab series "Discover the Microbes Within!" directed by Sarah Bordenstein. The partnership also includes testing new QIAGEN products in Penn State labs and offering internships for graduate students.
6. Wastewater monitoring can detect foodborne illness, researchers find
Scientists from Penn State and the Pennsylvania Department of Health published a study in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology that showed the utility of domestic wastewater monitoring as a tool for foodborne illness surveillance. By performing full genome sequencing on wastewater isolates from treatment plants in central Pennsylvania, the researchers identified a variation of Salmonella present in the wastewater that was genetically indistinguishable from Salmonella tested from a recent outbreak in the same area. This research, spearheaded by OHMC members Nkuchia M’ikanatha, Edward Dudley and Jasna Kovac, highlights the potential for wastewater monitoring as a proactive approach to detecting foodborne illness outbreaks.
7. Foodborne-pathogen Listeria may hide from sanitizers in biofilms
New research co-authored by Jansa Kovac, the Lester Earl and Veronica Casida Career Development Professor of Food Safety, reveals that biofilms which form on tree fruits in food processing facilities can act as a shield, protecting the pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes from sanitizers. The researchers pinpointed two groups of microorganisms, Pseudomonadaceae and Xanthomonadaceae, that are particularly good at forming these biofilms and blocking the effects of sanitizers on L. monocytogenes. These findings suggest a need to re-examine the efficacy of sanitizers used in fruit processing to help control foodborne pathogens.
8. New role for bacterial enzyme in gut metabolism revealed
Researchers at Penn State led by Andrew Patterson, professor of molecular toxicology and the John T. and Paige S. Smith Professor, are diving into the mysteries of bile acids, uncovering how bacteria generate and modify a variety of bile acid species, specifically the formation of bacteria bile acid amidates (BBAAS) from the bacterial enzyme bile salt hydrolase, or BSH. Bile acids are essential for metabolizing fat among other functions and linked with diseases including obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and certain cancers. The study was also the first to show that BBAAs start forming at birth.
9. Listen to your gut: Using microbiota analysis for precision health care
A Q&A with Pak Kin Wong, Penn State professor of biomedical and mechanical engineering, illustrates the usefulness and potential applications of microbiota analyses for clinical decision-making. In this interview, Wong discusses the challenges of integrating microbiota analyses into medical practices, such as the vast microbial diversity among individuals complicating standardization, and the need for more affordable and user-friendly high-throughput sequencing techniques. He also points to specific health conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and bladder cancer that could benefit greatly from a more personalized approach incorporating microbiota analyses. Read more in his recent publication in Nature Reviews Bioengineering.
10. Probiotic feed additive boosts growth, health in poultry in place of antibiotics
A study led by Erika Ganda, assistant professor of food animal microbiomes, examined poultry bacterial probiotics as alternatives to antibiotics with the goal of combating widespread antimicrobial resistance and meet the growing demand for antibiotic-free poultry. Their findings, published in Poultry Science, revealed that supplementation with probiotics over 21 days significantly increased the abundance of healthy gut bacteria in chicks. Although they observed no difference in body weight across groups, they did find that those chickens supplemented with probiotics had an improved feed conversion ratio compared with the antibiotic group. They also tested the effects of essential oils as feed additives; however, they did not find any significant patterns.