Alliance against food intolerances [13.07.21]
The interdisciplinary consortium of researchers from the University of Lübeck, the University of Hohenheim and the Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, receives around EUR 3 million from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Food intolerances are among the most common ailments worldwide and are associated with a variety of constraints for those affected. More particularly, distinguishing between a food intolerance or a food allergy and what is known as irritable bowel syndrome causes considerable difficulties in everyday life. The diagnostic and therapeutic approaches currently available are, therefore, imprecise and consequently ineffective. This leads to a great deal of frustration for both patients and treatment providers.
Under the title INDICATE-FH (ImproviNg DIagnostiCs And ThErapy of Food Hypersensitivity), researchers from the fields of allergology, gastroenterology, clinical nutrition, natural sciences and informatics recently joined forces to form an interdisciplinary consortium. "From Lübeck's perspective, I am particularly pleased that we have succeeded in drawing together all three sections of the University in this application," said Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gillessen-Kaesbach, President of the University of Lübeck, in praise of the project. Together, their attention is to focus on improving the diagnosis of patients with wheat-mediated food intolerances in particular and on distinguishing them from irritable bowel syndrome. Since 1 July 2021, BMBF has provided funding for this collaborative project of approximately EUR 3 million for the next three years. "For our patients, we expect to see considerable added value in patient care," said Prof. Dr. Jens Scholz, Chairman of the Board of the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), "with combined expertise, the fight against food intolerance will be taken up."
Combining expertise to research food intolerances and food allergies
"I am delighted about the funding, which allows us to now comprehensively investigate a common and extremely relevant medical problem – which has been underrepresented in research – on an interdisciplinary basis," said project coordinator, Prof. Dr. Christian Sina, Director of the Institute of Clinical Nutrition at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and the University of Lübeck. He is supported in his institute by Dr. Anna Kordowski, who has been researching the molecular causes of allergies for years and whose post is now funded through the new approved project.
Deputy coordinator is Prof. Dr. Stephan C. Bischoff from the Institute of Clinical Nutrition, University of Hohenheim: "It is alarming that about one-third of the European population now complains of food intolerances, although it is often unclear what is behind them. Thanks to the generous support of the BMBF, the interdisciplinary consortium can now help to shed light on the subject," summarized gastroenterologist and allergist Prof. Dr. Stephan C. Bischoff.
This endeavor constitutes a true joint project: in addition to the two mentioned above, the project leaders are Prof. Dr. Uta Jappe for the Research Center Borstel, Prof. Dr. Florian Fricke for the University of Hohenheim and, on the Lübeck side, Prof. Dr. Inke König (Institute for Medical Statistics and Biometrics) and Prof. Dr. Marcin Grzegorzek (Institute for Medical Informatics). Furthermore, the Medical Clinic I (Director Prof. Dr. Jens Marquardt) and the Institute of Chemistry and Metabolomics of the University of Lübeck (Director Dr. Prof. Thomas Peters) are also involved in confocal laser endomicroscopy and NMR metabolomics analyses, respectively.
The sites and their expertise
Research in Lübeck will focus primarily on the clinical phenotyping of patients with cereal allergies and intolerances. State-of-the-art endoscopic imaging techniques and AI-assisted image recognition, as well as approaches to digital nutrition therapy, are to be used at the Lübeck site.
At the University of Hohenheim, the main aim is to identify new biomarkers using patient-specific organoids. Furthermore, attention will concentrate on the role of the small intestinal microbiome in non-celiac, disease-based wheat hypersensitivity.
At the Leibniz Research Center in Borstel (FZB), the focus is on identifying the molecular structures involved in the development of a wheat intolerance. These allergenic molecules are used to develop and optimize allergy diagnostic tests and to elucidate pathogenesis. In addition, possible allergen-independent biomarkers will be identified with the help of the Pathology Department of the FZB (Prof. Dr. Goldmann).
"The funding of this collaborative project will allow the different and complementary expertise of the three sites to be used to specifically identify the causes of the various wheat-related diseases. This insight will make a decisive contribution to precision medicine," FZB allergist, Prof. Uta Jappe was happy to say. She heads up the research group Clinical and Molecular Allergology at the FZB and the Interdisciplinary Allergy Outpatient Unit at the Medical Clinic III in Lübeck and has been working at the FZB for many years on the identification of new allergens, the elucidation of sensitization pathways and the pathogenesis of food and respiratory allergies.
In addition to the academic partners, the Lübeck-based start-up Perfood, a spin-off from the Institute of Clinical Nutrition in 2017 is also involved. It specializes in nutrition-based digital health applications. The interests of those affected are represented by the Deutsche Zöliakie Gesellschaft e.V. (German Celiac Society). (DZG), which is also part of the consortium.
Text: Uni Lübeck
Contact for press:
Prof. Dr. med. Stephan Bischoff, University of Hohenheim, Department of Nutritional Medicine / Prevention and Gender
T +49 711 459-24100, E bischoff.stephan@uni-hohenheim.de
