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The Don Whitley Scientific (DWS) Travel Grant was recently awarded to Charlotte Jones, Research Associate from Professor Lindsay Hall’s Lab at the University of Birmingham. Charlotte used the award to attend the Microbiology Society Annual Conference, held in Liverpool between 31 March – 3 April 2025. At the conference, she presented her research 'Unmasking the Mechanisms Behind the Immunomodulatory Effects of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003'.
We asked Charlotte to share more about her research and experience at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference:
"In my research project, I focus on a particular strain called Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003, originally isolated from the stool of a breastfed baby. This strain has been shown to protect against bacterial infections and improve gut barrier function in neonatal mice[1] [2] [3]. However, the mechanism behind these effects is still something of a mystery. Conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are linked to a disrupted gut microbiota – with reduced levels of Bifidobacterium and overactive immune responses, such as increased productions of TNF-α and other inflammatory cytokines, which results in IBD pathology. Because of B. breve UCC2003 effects on the immune system, there is potential to reduce inflammation and restore balance to the gut ecosystem. Our goal is to better understand the mechanisms behind this immunomodulatory effect – with the hope that Bifidobacterium could one day play a role in future treatments for IBD and other gut-related inflammatory conditions.
Culturing B. breve UCC2003 and the Tn5 mutants[4] within this project require anaerobic conditions. The Whitley A45 Anaerobic Workstation has been essential for our work. It allows us to maintain the strict anaerobic conditions these bacteria need to grow and thrive. This equipment is a staple in our lab and is used extensively in Professor Hall’s group, especially when working with faecal isolates and other Bifidobacterium species.
Attending and presenting at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference was such a valuable experience. It gave me a boost in confidence and helped me prepare for future presentations – particularly as I look ahead to starting a PhD. It also gave me the chance to connect with fellow researchers, exchange ideas, and get feedback on my work in a supportive and inspiring environment. A huge thank you to DWS for awarding me the travel grant that made this possible – I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity!"
We congratulate Charlotte on her success in presenting her research at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference and wish her the best in her future endeavours. If you're interested in the DWS Travel Grant, please click here to see if you're eligible.
References
1. Fanning S, Hall LJ, Cronin M, Zomer A, MacSharry J, Goulding D, O'Connell Motherway M, Shanahan F, Nally K, Dougan G, van Sinderen D. Bifidobacterial surface-exopolysaccharide facilitates commensal-host interaction through immune modulation and pathogen protection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2012 Feb 7;109(6):2108-13.
2. Fanning S, Hall LJ, van Sinderen D. Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 surface exopolysaccharide production is a beneficial trait mediating commensal-host interaction through immune modulation and pathogen protection. Gut microbes. 2012 Sep 20;3(5):420-5.
3. Kiu R, Treveil A, Harnisch LC, Caim S, Leclaire C, van Sinderen D, Korcsmaros T, Hall LJ. Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 induces a distinct global transcriptomic program in neonatal murine intestinal epithelial cells. IScience. 2020 Jul 24;23(7).
4. Ruiz L, Motherway MO, Lanigan N, van Sinderen D. Transposon mutagenesis in Bifidobacterium breve: construction and characterization of a Tn5 transposon mutant library for Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. PLoS One. 2013 May 30;8(5):e64699.
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