Gut Microbiome Fermentation Lab
The Gut Microbiome Fermentation Lab is used to study diet–microbiome interactions and to identify physicochemical factors affecting gut-microbiome metabolism.
The heart of the lab is the TNO Intestinal Model-2 (TIM-2), which can simulate the human colon.
TIM-2 simulates the colonic environment, including the presence of effluent from small-intestinal digestion, intestinal movements, absorption of water and nutrients, and anaerobic conditions in the colon. pH and temperature can be controlled, and both the frequency and volume of the effluent can be regulated.
In addition to TIM-2, the lab includes three smaller fermenters and anaerobic facilities to run simpler microbial communities and higher-throughput experiments.