Harnessing the power of bacteria

More than half your body is not actually human, according to scientists.

Human cells are outnumbered by trillions of microorganisms, known as microbes. These bacteria, viruses and fungi play an important role in keeping you healthy – from fighting harmful pathogens, to affecting the way medications work, to regulating your immune system.

And the exploration of this hidden microbial world is rapidly transforming how we understand health and disease. 

“The microbiome touches everything in human health,” says Jeremy Burton, PhD, Director for the Canadian Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotics Research at St. Joseph’s Health Care London. “It should be considered an organ in its own right.” 

Researchers at St. Joseph’s are investigating the role beneficial microbes and probiotics play in the body, including their impact on chronic disease, urological conditions, cancer, neurodegeneration and mental health.

Leading-edge imaging technology is enabling research teams to see and track microbes in the body in real-time. Clinical studies are demonstrating the powerful potential of fecal transplants in cancer patients. And scientists are testing probiotic supplements for individuals undergoing knee replacement surgery. 

“We’re working across the whole spectrum of basic and translational research,” says Burton, who holds the Research Chair in Human Microbiome and Probiotics. 

While interest in microbes and probiotics is booming, it wasn’t always this way. Researchers in the field were sidelined and even ridiculed for their views for decades, as the study of pathogens took centre stage. 

“The idea of harnessing beneficial microbes was a kooky idea, and many people dismissed their importance,” says Burton. “But biology always surprises us.” 

Attitudes changed in the early 2000s as advances in next-generation sequencing technology made it possible to observe what microbes were doing in the body.   

For Gregor Reid, PhD, Scientist, this shift in thinking was long overdue. Referred to by Burton as the ‘godfather’ of probiotics research, Reid started researching microbes and probiotics in the early 1980s when few in the scientific community recognized their importance.

“It takes courage to follow a path when everything seems against you,” he says. “I had a vision of what the future would look like, and I believed in it so passionately; I was determined.” 

During his career, Reid was instrumental in pushing the field forward. In 2001, he chaired the United Nations - World Health Organization expert panel that defined the modern term probiotics and set the standard for scientific study. He also helped establish and lead the International Scientific Association for Prebiotics and Probiotics to bring together like-minded scientists from around the world.

As a researcher, Reid focused his studies on how beneficial microbes contribute to the health of women and children. He developed probiotic therapies used by millions of people globally. 

For many years, committed donors supported this work despite the naysayers, enabling Reid to continue his pioneering research program. 

“I enjoyed developing   relationships with a range of colleagues and community members who were keen to contribute to this work,” he says.

With such a robust legacy in the microbiome and probiotics field, the research community at St. Joseph’s continues to push boundaries for the benefit of patients.  

Burton is working with the Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative, a cross-Canada collaboration to gather and share information on fermented foods like pickled vegetables that give the body a dose of beneficial microbes and their products. 

His vision for St. Joseph’s includes building a research kitchen to make and distribute probiotic products and teaching people how to incorporate probiotics and fermented foods into their diets.

“It would be a unique way for researchers to interact with patients in the community and pilot new interventions,” he says.

As we learn more about their power and potential, microbes are also demonstrating the important and delicate link between people, animals and ecosystems – a concept known as One Health.

“We recognize that our health as a person relies on the health of our ecosystem,” explains Reid, who with Burton and others has written a paper on how beneficial microbes can impact Canadian Society.

“We are microbial in nature and so is the planet.” 

Reid has led studies looking at the use of probiotics to save honeybee colonies and wild salmon populations from collapse. He and Burton believe there are opportunities for St. Joseph’s to pursue unique partnerships with the agricultural and technology sectors, linking together scientists, clinicians, farmers and experts in artificial intelligence to optimize health for all – particularly as climate change brings about new threats to our wellbeing.

For Reid, this points to a new era of scientific discovery. 

“With our research and clinical expertise, St. Joseph’s is well-positioned to be the leading hospital in Canada to tackle this next challenge,” he says.