Microbiome-based functional and fermented foods for metabolic and brain health

Vilnius University (Lithuania) is seeking partners for Horizon Europe Cluster 6 projects focusing on the development and scientific evaluation of functional and fermented foods, probiotics, postbiotics and microbiome-targeted nutritional interventions.

Our research group specialises in the microbiota–gut–brain axis, with expertise in preclinical models of diet-induced obesity, metabolic dysfunction, neuroinflammation and behavioural alterations. We investigate how dietary interventions and microbial products influence gut microbiota composition, microbial metabolites, systemic inflammation and brain function.

Our potential contributions include:

• Preclinical evaluation of functional foods, fermented products, probiotics and postbiotics.

• Assessment of microbiota composition, microbial metabolites and host metabolic responses.

• Investigation of neuroinflammation, neuroimmune mechanisms and behavioural outcomes.

• Mechanistic studies linking dietary interventions, gut microbiota and brain health.

Role in the consortium. Research partner contributing to experimental design, mechanistic investigations and preclinical validation.

Partners sought. Universities, research institutes, food technology groups, biotechnology companies and food industry partners developing innovative, sustainable and health-promoting food products.

We are particularly interested in collaborative proposals addressing sustainable food innovation, fermentation technologies, microbiome-targeted interventions and evidence-based evaluation of their health effects.