Primary fields of research
Microbial behavior in complex environments with particular focus fermented foods as well as the relationship between diet, gut microbiome and health and disease in humans as well as animals
Use of microbes for creating structure/taste and improve the nutritional value (protein quality, vitamins) of fermented, plantbased, protein rich foods
The role of bacteriophages in the gastrointestinal tract
Targeted interventions to manipulate the gut microbiome (bacteriophages etc.)
The influence of pre-, pro- and postbiotics on the gut microbiome as well as host-gut microbiome interactions
Fermented Foods (cocoa, wine, coffee, indigenous fermented foods, fermentation as flavour enhancer, fermentation as a tool to improve nutritional value)
In vitro models to study food/microbe interactions in the gastrointestinal tract
Rapid methods for culture-dependent and culture-independent (qPCR, high throughput sequencing) characterisation of complex microbiological communities.
Coupling of bioinformatic and chemical/spectroscopic data using multivariate data analysis.