BERND SCHNABL

SHEDS LIGHT ON THE MATTER

Roman Maslennikov, gastroenterologist and lecturer at Sechenov

University, Moscow, was the winner of a Foundation grant for his

study of: “The gut microbiota of liver cirrhosis patients: role in pa-

thogenesis and treatment.”

“The purpose of this grant is to help

us gain greater understanding of how

cirrhosis develops and the possible

impact of probiotics on this disease.

We conducted an in-depth study

on 50 cirrhosis patients focusing on

the impact of gut microbiota imbalance

on the evolution of their disease

We assessed the link between gut

microbiota and systemic inflammation

The results of this study could provide

evidence of the benefits of using

probiotics to treat cirrhosis leading to

an improved quality of life and prognosis

for those patients

“MICROBIOTA AND LIVER CIRRHOSIS”

BY ROMAN MASLENNIKOV, WINNER OF THE 2019 NATIONAL GRANT IN RUSSIA

First winner of the Foundation’s international grant, in 2018,

for his research on the correlation between certain bacteria found

in the gut and alcoholic hepatitis.

“A favorable environment to the spread

of harmful bacteria can develop in the gut

of patients with alcohol misuse,

causing a sometimes fatal inflammation.

We developed a phage that is capable

of destroying that pathogenic bacteria

without killing beneficial bacteria,

like antibiotics do.

That gives patients breathing space

in which they can become sober

and eligible for a liver transplant.”

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