JEMINI

• Overall objective:

Obesity and its metabolic co-morbidities represent a major public health challenge. The WHO estimates that by 2035, 4 billion people will be affected. Obesity-related disorders are associated with adipose tissue remodeling, low-grade systemic inflammation and altered intestinal microbiota, coupled with increased intestinal permeability to inflammatory bacterial products, contributing to metabolic and immune imbalances.

Despite these advances, the majority of studies have focused on the faecal microbiota, leaving a scientific void on the duodeno-jejunal microbiota, central to digestion, nutrient absorption and immune regulation. Alterations to the duodeno-jejunal epithelium in obesity have been little explored, even though they could play a decisive role in the progression of metabolic diseases.

The JEMINI project aims to better understand the complex relationships between the duodeno-jejunal microbiome, immunometabolic status, dietary and lifestyle factors, and the underlying mechanisms.

• Scientific and societal issues:

The results of JEMINI will enhance scientific knowledge of the duodeno-jejunal microbiota, a little-known ecosystem despite the fact that it populates an essential organ in the regulation of host metabolism and immunity: the small intestine. JEMINI will generate valuable results for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches targeting intestinal health in obesity and associated metabolic and inflammatory disorders. These chronic pathologies are responsible for considerable healthcare costs worldwide.

• Project focuses:

The JEMINI project focuses on 3 main axes:

1) Identify the links between environmental factors, microbiomes and host health, and understand the types of action.

2) Understanding the mechanisms of host-microbiome interactions in healthy and ill populations.

3) Host-microbiome interactions for prevention and treatment.

• JEMINI project presentation video