Gut dysbiosis and effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)

The human gut is inhabited by a multitude of microorganisms which in a healthy flora consists of approximately 1000 different types of bacteria, fungi and viruses. The gut flora helps us digest and can keep disease-causing bacteria from settling in the gut. It becomes increasingly clear that the gut flora can be involved in diseases in other parts of the body as well. We aim to investigate the connections between gut flora and different diseases where unbalanced gut flora (dysbiosis) may be part of the cause of, or may maintain the disease.

Projects focus on a variety of disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue/myalgic encephalopathy, obesity and Bechterev's disease. More projects are in the pipeline for indications like inflammatory bowel disease and Alzheimers disease.

We have established a general biobank for dysbiosis related disorders for collecting samples of faeces, urine, and blood in the clinical projects. The biobank has a connected registry for clinical information and analysis results related to the samples in the biobank.

Planned analyses for the projects include thorough genetic analysis of the gut flora (metagenomic shotgun sequencing), measuring the function of the flora (metabolic profiling) of faecal samples, and leaky gut markers in blood and urine before and after faecal transplantation. Shifts in these measures can be compared to patient reported effects of the faecal transplantation.

Members:

Peter Holger Johnsen

Rasmus Goll

Marthe Rasmus

Hege Marie Hanssen

Linn Kallbekken Skjevling

Per Christian Valle

Financial/grant information:

The projects have received grants from the Norwegian Research Council, HelseNord, KLINBEFORSK, and Norges Myalgisk Encefalopati Forening

Studies:

AxSpa
COMEBACK
DysBiobank
Obesity
REFIT
REFIT 2

Gut dysbiosis and effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)

Members:

Financial/grant information:

Studies:

AxSpa

axSpA is an RCT testing FMT versus placebo for axial spondyloarthritis (Bechterew’s disease) – planned inclusion start spring 2024.

COMEBACK

COMEBACK is an RCT testing FMT versus placebo for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) - 80 participants, study completed autumn 2023.

DysBiobank

Obesity

The Obesity study is an RCT testing FMT versus placebo for morbid obesity - 60 participants, study ongoing.

REFIT

REFIT was a single center randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for irritable bowel syndrome - 90 participants concluded 2017.

REFIT 2

REFIT 2 is a multicenter phase III RCT testing faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) versus placebo for irritable bowel syndrome - 450 participants, study completed autumn 2023.