APC Microbiome Ireland

APC Microbiome Ireland APC Microbiome Ireland is a world leading research centre investigating the microbiome and its effect on human, animal and planetary health.

The APC Microbiome Institute, (http://apc.ucc.ie ) is a research centre funded by Science Foundation Ireland and industry partners. The APC Microbiome Institute, a partnership between University College Cork, Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, and the Cork Institute of Technology, focuses on research in gastrointestinal health. Pharmabiotic is a neologism devised by the

APC Microbiome Institute to represent any material (including molecules and microbes) originating from the gut ecosystem that can be exploited for a health benefit, and includes probiotics, prebiotics, metabolites, and potential new anti-microbials and anti-inflammatories. The independent international ratings agency Thomson Reuters Science Watch global analysis, recently ranked University College Cork at number 2 in the world for probiotics research, due primarily to publications from researchers in the APC Microbiome Institute (http://sciencewatch.com/ana/st/probiotics/institution/).

Congratulations to the ๐‚๐Ž๐‘๐€๐‹ study co-authors from APC recently awarded the Cezmi Akdis prize for the most highly cited ...
19/06/2026

Congratulations to the ๐‚๐Ž๐‘๐€๐‹ study co-authors from APC recently awarded the Cezmi Akdis prize for the most highly cited research publication in Allergy for the last 2 years.

The Cezmi Akdis Prize is awarded to the first author of the Original Article with the highest number of citations published in Allergy the last two years, as tracked by the Wiley Online Library/CrossRef.

Congratulations to Katri Korpela and Sadhbh Hurley for receiving the Cezmi Akdis Prize 2026.

๐Ÿ“ฐ Read the paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.16069
๐Ÿ’ป๏ธ Read the press release: https://www.ucc.ie/en/apc/news/apc-news/new-apc-research-reveals-that-lockdowns-had-an-impact-on-gut-microbes-and-allergies-in-newborns.html

19/06/2026

The soil is home to its own microbiome, a community of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, protozoa, nematodes and other microorganisms.

These microbes help recycle nutrients, break down organic matter, support plant growth and keep soil healthy.

Our latest ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐Œ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ post explores why the soil microbiome matters for plants, ecosystems and wider health.

Created by APC Microbiome Ireland for World Microbiome Day.

We are delighted to welcome our new recruits to APC Microbiome Ireland!Please join us in welcoming Vishnu Prasoodanan Pu...
18/06/2026

We are delighted to welcome our new recruits to APC Microbiome Ireland!

Please join us in welcoming Vishnu Prasoodanan Puthiya Kunnon (Vishnu Prasoodanan), Eva Balan Gutiรฉrrez, Sara Alshaikh, Giulia Bisson (Giulia) , Lihua Xiao, Umar Amjid (proumaramjid), Raffaele Magliulo (.magliulo) and Jamie Fitzgerald.
They will be working with Paul Ross, Colin Hill (Colin Hill), Paul Cotter (), Siobhain O'Mahony (Siobhain Marron), Cormac Gahan (Cormac Gahan), Douwe van Sinderen and Paul O'Toole contributing to APCโ€™s world-leading research on the microbiome and its impact on health.

We look forward to seeing them flourish and wish them every success as part of the APC community.

Welcome to APC Microbiome Ireland!

Congratulations to Clare Oโ€™Connor and Zoรซ Williams.CLAIRE received the College of Medicine and Health Public Engagement...
16/06/2026

Congratulations to Clare Oโ€™Connor and Zoรซ Williams.

CLAIRE received the College of Medicine and Health Public Engagement Award.

Zoรซ AP Williams received the Outstanding Peer of the Year Highly Commended Award.

These awards recognise clear communication, support for others and the work that helps build a strong research community.

Well done Clare and Zoe.



Inflammation can shape how the brain responds to exercise.A new study published in ๐๐ซ๐š๐ข๐ง, ๐๐ž๐ก๐š๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ซ, ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ˆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ looked ...
16/06/2026

Inflammation can shape how the brain responds to exercise.

A new study published in ๐๐ซ๐š๐ข๐ง, ๐๐ž๐ก๐š๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ซ, ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ˆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ looked at chronic low-grade inflammation in the hippocampus, a brain region linked with learning and memory.

The researchers studied hippocampal IL-1ฮฒ overexpression with voluntary wheel running. They found that IL-1ฮฒ affected pattern separation, reduced exercise-induced neurogenesis in the dorsal hippocampus and changed microglial activity.

This work matters because it helps researchers understand how immune signals can influence brain plasticity and responses to exercise.

The study involved researchers Sarah Nicolas, Maria Giovanna Caruso, Sebastian Dohm-Hansen, Aonghus Lavelle, Olivia Oโ€™Leary and Yvonne Nolan, with INFANT Research Centre and UvA: University of Amsterdam collaborators.

๐Ÿ“ฐ Read the paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159126005635 (๐Ÿ”— Link in bio)

How do you find a good probiotic and prebiotic pairing?A new paper in ๐‰๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ž๐ ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ introduces the Syn...
16/06/2026

How do you find a good probiotic and prebiotic pairing?

A new paper in ๐‰๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ž๐ ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ introduces the Synbiotic Potential Score, a method for comparing how bacterial strains grow on selected dietary fibres.

The researchers tested eight putative probiotic strains with short-chain fructooligosaccharides, resistant maltodextrin and both fibres together. Four strains were then tested further in minimal MRS medium, where resistant maltodextrin use was easier to assess.

This helps researchers study strain-fibre pairings in a clearer and more systematic way.

The work involved Luiza Wasiewska , Lamiah Kareem, Ainhoa Linares, Eoin Gunnigle, Douwe van Sinderen, Gerard Clarke and Harriet Schellekens and colleagues at APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, with collaborators at Tate & Lyle.

๐Ÿ“ฐRead the paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42172045/ (๐Ÿ”—Link in bio)



|

Congratulations to Professor Catherine Stanton, Professor Paul Ross and Professor Gerard Clarke, each ranked #1 nationa...
11/06/2026

Congratulations to Professor Catherine Stanton, Professor Paul Ross and Professor Gerard Clarke, each ranked #1 nationally in their Research.com fields.

Professor Stanton is ranked #๐Ÿ in Ireland for Biology and Biochemistry.

Professor Ross is ranked #๐Ÿ in Ireland for Microbiology.

Professor Clarke is ranked #๐Ÿ in Ireland for Neuroscience.

These rankings reflect sustained research contribution across microbiome science, food and health, and the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Well done also to APC group leaders recognised with high national rankings in their categories, including Colin Hill, Douwe van Sinderen, , Paul Oโ€™Toole, , Elke Arendt and John F. Cryan.

Some bacteria survive in blood by changing how they use energy.A new study published in ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ looks at how Staphy...
08/06/2026

Some bacteria survive in blood by changing how they use energy.

A new study published in ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ looks at how Staphylococcus aureus adapts to human serum, the liquid part of blood.

The researchers focused on PdhD V76I, a mutation found in clinical strains. Bacteria with this variant recycled NADH to NAD+ without using respiration and showed increased resistance to several stresses, including LL37, HNP-1 and arachidonic acid.

This helps researchers understand how S. aureus copes with host defences in the bloodstream.

The study includes APC researchers Samuel Fenn and Ruth Massey, with Edward Douglas at .

๐Ÿ“ฐ Read the paper: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13229382/ (๐Ÿ”— Link in bio)



| |

New APC paper on TL1A in IBD research.A new systematic review in ๐‰๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐‚๐ซ๐จ๐ก๐งโ€™๐ฌ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‚๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ looks at TL1A and DR3 si...
05/06/2026

New APC paper on TL1A in IBD research.

A new systematic review in ๐‰๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐‚๐ซ๐จ๐ก๐งโ€™๐ฌ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‚๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ looks at TL1A and DR3 signalling in inflammatory bowel disease.

The review brings together 63 studies on this pathway, including work on inflammation, fibrosis and gut barrier function.

It gives researchers a clear summary of a fast-moving area and helps show where the evidence is strongest, and where more clarity is still needed.

Congratulations to Raymond Fueng-Hin Liang, Cecilia Lina Pugliano, Robert Hughes, Snehali Majumder, Antonio Lo Bello, Marietta Iacucci and Subrata Ghosh.

๐Ÿ“ฐ Read the paper: https://www.ovid.com/journals/jcac/fulltext/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjag039~tl1a-as-a-therapeutic-renaissance-in-inflammatory-bowel

05/06/2026

Phages, also known as bacteriophages, are viruses that only infect bacteria.

They are found wherever bacteria live, including in the gut microbiome. By interacting with bacteria, phages can help shape microbial communities.

Our latest ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐Œ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ post explains what phages are and why they matter for microbiome research.

Created by APC Microbiome Ireland for World Microbiome Day.

Address

BioSciences Building, University College Cork, Western Road
Cork

Telephone

+353214901430

Website

, ,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when APC Microbiome Ireland posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category