It’s not just about the bacteria — it’s about the terrain.

A resilient gut helps your body stand stronger against everyday threats.
Learn why Binding Proteins matter.

About Gut Health

Research Areas

Binding Proteins

Learn about Binding Proteins, the next-generation fermented IgG fragments developed for precision and gut resilience. This new class of functional proteins has the potential to support the large populations worldwide from unhealthy metabolites and enterotoxins

Gut Microbiota and Nutrition

Explore the dynamic relationship between nutrition and the gut microbiota. Stay updated with the latest scientific research, expert insights, and emerging trends shaping gut health and nutritional science…

Gut Health Challenges

Delve into the factors that disrupt gut health - from enterotoxins to microbial imbalances. Discover the latest findings on the causes, consequences, and potential solutions for gut dysbiosis and its impact on health

News

View All
Gut Microbiota and Nutrition
Gut Health Challenges
News
May 27, 2025

Recent Research Found a Surprising Link Between Coffee and Gut Health

Coffee is more than just a daily habit—it may play an active role in shaping a healthier gut. A recent large-scale, multi-cohort study has uncovered a strong and reproducible association between coffee consumption and the enrichment of Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus, a gut microbe linked to anti-inflammatory effects. Using integrated multi-omic data and in vitro experiments, the researchers identified quinic acid—found in coffee—as a potential driver of this microbial response. This study offers compelling evidence of a direct biochemical connection between specific dietary components and beneficial shifts in the gut microbiome.

Gut Health Challenges
Gut Microbiota and Nutrition
News
May 26, 2025

How Dietary Fiber May Help Disarm Cancer-causing Gut Bacteria

A groundbreaking new study uncovers how the food we eat can interact with the bacteria living in our gut - and potentially help trigger colon cancer. Scientists used a mouse model to explore the combined effects of diet, microbiome composition, and genetics on colorectal cancer risk. What they found is both sobering and hopeful.

Popular Science Articles

View All
Gut Dysbiosis Uncovered: How Gut Diversity & Gut Barrier Function Play a Crucial Role in Maintaining Your Health 
Gut Microbiota and Nutrition
Gut Health Challenges
Popular Science Articles
January 15, 2025

Gut Dysbiosis Uncovered: How Gut Diversity & Gut Barrier Function Play a Crucial Role in Maintaining Your Health 

The human gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in maintaining overall health. When the composition and function of this microbial ecosystem become imbalanced, we talk about gut dysbiosis. This imbalance contributes to a dysregulated gut-immune axis, referring to impaired communication and feedback loop between the gut microbiota, intestinal barrier, and the immune system¹.

The Role of Binding Proteins in Gut Health
Gut Microbiota and Nutrition
Popular Science Articles
October 18, 2024

The Role of Binding Proteins in Gut Health

Gut health is essential for overall well-being, yet lifestyle habits, environmental factors such as diet, and medicines contribute to an increasing prevalence of gut dysbiosis and a compromised gut lining. These disruptions can have significant health implications, ranging from acute digestive discomfort to long-lasting challenges and broader systemic effects1. In fact, the U.S. microbiome has lost over 30% of its bacterial diversity — mainly due to antibiotics and poor diet2, 3.

Published Research

View All
Published Research
June 26, 2024

Fit-for-Purpose Heterodivalent Single-Domain Dntibody for Gastrointestinal Targeting of Toxin B from Clostridium Difficile

Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), such as $\text{V}_\text{H}\text{Hs}$, are increasingly being developed for gastrointestinal (GI) applications against pathogens to strengthen gut health. However, what constitutes a suitable developability profile for applying these proteins in a gastrointestinal setting remains poorly explored. Here, we describe an in vitro methodology for the identification of sdAb derivatives, more specifically divalent $\text{V}_\text{H}\text{H}$ constructs, that display extraordinary developability properties for oral delivery and functionality in the GI environment. We showcase this by developing a heterodivalent $\text{V}_\text{H}\text{H}$ construct that cross-inhibits the toxic activity of the glycosyltransferase domains (GTDs) from three different toxinotypes of cytotoxin B (TcdB) from lineages of Clostridium difficile. We show that the $\text{V}_\text{H}\text{H}$ construct possesses high stability and binding activity under gastric conditions, in the presence of bile salts, and at high temperatures. We suggest that the incorporation of early developability assessment could significantly aid in the efficient discovery of $\text{V}_\text{H}\text{Hs}$ and related constructs fit for oral delivery and GI applications.

Published Research
May 7, 2025

Orally Delivered Toxin–Binding Protein Protects Against Diarrhoea in a Murine Cholera Model

The ongoing seventh cholera pandemic, which began in 1961, poses an escalating threat to public health. There is a need for new cholera control measures, particularly ones that can be produced at low cost, for the one billion people living in cholera-endemic regions. Orally delivered VHHs, functioning as target-binding proteins, have been proposed as a potential approach to control gastrointestinal pathogens. Here, we describe the development of an orally deliverable bivalent VHH construct that binds to the B-pentamer of cholera toxin, showing that it inhibits toxin activity in a murine challenge model. Infant mice given the bivalent VHH prior to V. cholerae infection exhibit a significant reduction in cholera toxin–associated intestinal fluid secretion and diarrhoea. In addition, the bivalent VHH reduces V. cholerae colonization levels in the small intestine by a factor of 10. This cholera toxin–binding protein holds promise for protecting against severe diarrhoea associated with cholera.

Published Research
May 2, 2024

Protecting the Piglet Gut Microbiota Against ETEC-Mediated Post-Weaning Diarrhoea Using Specific Binding Proteins

Post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in piglets presents a widespread problem in industrial pig production and is often caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strains. Current solutions, such as antibiotics and medicinal zinc oxide, are unsustainable and are increasingly being prohibited, resulting in a dire need for novel solutions. Thus, in this study, we propose and evaluate a protein-based feed additive, comprising two bivalent heavy chain variable domain ($V_{HH}$) constructs ($V_{HH}$-(GGGGS)$_3$-$V_{HH}$, BL1.2 and BL2.2) as an alternative solution to manage PWD. We demonstrate in vitro that these constructs bind to ETEC toxins and fimbriae, whilst they do no affect bacterial growth rate. Furthermore, in a pig study, we show that oral administration of these constructs after ETEC challenge reduced ETEC proliferation when compared to challenged control piglets (1-2 $\log_{10}$ units difference in gene copies and bacterial count/g faeces across day 2–7) and resulted in week 1 enrichment of three bacterial families (Prevotellaceae (estimate: 1.12 $\pm$ 0.25, $q$ = 0.0054), Lactobacillaceae (estimate: 2.86 $\pm$ 0.52, $q$ = 0.0012), and Ruminococcaceae (estimate: 0.66 $\pm$ 0.18, $q$ = 0.049)) within the gut microbiota that appeared later in challenged control piglets, thus pointing to an earlier transition towards a more mature gut microbiota. These data suggest that such $V_{HH}$ constructs may find utility in industrial pig production as a feed additive for tackling ETEC and reducing the risk of PWD in piglet populations.

Contribute to the Hub

Be part of a growing knowledge community.

By sharing your research, you help inform peers, spark collaboration, and strengthen the collective understanding of gut health.

Please include a link in the message field. We’ll review your submission and follow up shortly.

We’d love to hear from you!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.