1. Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET) Research topics and expertise Head : Prof. Dr. ir. Willy Verstraete

2. Mission Microbial Ecology Strategic research Applied research Technology

3. General overview  Strategic research  Applied research  Tools and instruments  Focus on SHIME-Tec

4. Strategic Research  Microbial communities  Quorum sensing  Electron shuttling  Horizontal gene transfer  Metabolomics

5. Applied Research  Environmental Microbiology Wastewater  Microbial fuel cells  Biodegradation  Anaerobic treatment  Nitrogen removal strategies  Minimizing wast sludge

6. Applied Research  Environmental Microbiology Soil / Sediments  Bioprecipitation of catalytic particles  Anaerobic removal of organochlorine contaminants  Soil and river sludge clean-up  Pesticide degradation and ecotoxicology

7. Applied Research  Environmental Microbiology Solid Wastes  Solid waste treatment  De-icing Buildings and structures  Biologically mediated CaCO3 formation  Microbial induced corrosion Air  Indoor air pollution  Biotrickling filtration

8. Applied Research  Gastro-intestinal Microbiology Functional foods  Pro- / pre- / synbiotics  Bioactivation of food components  Rumen microbiology Risk assessment  Environmental contaminants  Toxic food processing metabolites Phage therapy

9. Applied Research  Foodchain Microbiology Drinking water  Hygienisation  Water recycling  Pathogen abatement Aquaculture systems  Habitat research Epiphytes on grain Space station life cycles Deep sea methane oxidation

10. Tools and instruments  Reactor Technology Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) Activated sludge systems Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed reactors Microbial Fuel cells Membrane reactors Rotating disc reactors Dialysis reactors

11. Tools and instruments  Molecular Analysis PCR DGGE FISH Realtime PCR Cloning Flow Cytometry

12. Tools and instruments  Microbial analysis Epifluorescence and light microscopy Growth kinetics Microbial isolations and enrichments Metabolic activity Bioassays Biodegradation assays

13. Tools and instruments  Physico – chemical analysis Gas chromatography HPLC Ion chromatography Spectrophotometry Atom absorption BOD, COD, TSS, VSS, NOX, TOC,…

14. Contact information LabMET – Ghent University Coupure Links 653 B-9000 Gent http://labMET.ugent.be/ +32/9/264.59.76

15. The LabMET group

16. SHIME-Tec

19. Microbial conversion of phytoestrogens  Soy phytoestrogens: Daidzine  daidzein  equol (microbial action) Equol has beneficial health effects Microbial consortium applicable as probiotic  Hop phytoestrogens: Isoxanthohumol  hoppein (8- prenylnaringenin or 8-PN) Carried out by colon microbiota Importance for hop supplements, beer industry…

20. Equol production

21. 8-PN production

22. Colon microbiota activate PAHs PAHs are not estrogenic: colon microbiota biotransform them to estrogenic metabolites

23. Chemopreventive effect from inulin Gut microbiota Beneficial conversion Short chain fatty acids Phytoestrogen Bactericidal compounds Detrimental conversion Putrefactive compounds Toxins Promutagen  mutagen (PAH  estrogenic metabolite) Inulin exerts prebiotic effects Promotes beneficial conversion New finding: inulin inhibits conversion of promutagen to mutagen Chemopreventive effects: added-value property of prebiotics

24. Decrease of cholesterol levels in blood  Lactobacillus reuteri  Bile salt hydrolase activity  Reduction of cholesterol levels  In vitro: experiments with SHIME indicate survival of probiotic strain under in vitro conditions (stomach, small intestine, colon  In vivo: Pigs fed with L. reuteri for 4 weeks showed significantly lower cholesterol levels De Smet et al. 1998. British Journal of Nutrition, 79: 185-194

25. Bioactive peptides Aim: are bioactive peptides transported ? Blood pressure lowering / ACE-inhibitory peptides ala-leu-pro-met-his-ile-arg (837 g/mol) Bradykinin inactive fragments ACE Ang IAng II Blood pressure rises Blood pressure drops

26. Bioactive peptides

27. PHB accumulating bacteria  Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)  Microbial consortium which stores PHB  Add consortium as prebiotic to artemia  PHB  hydroxybutyrate  butyrate  Protection of artemia against pathogens  Increased survival  Alternative to antibiotics in aquaculture

28. PHB accumulating bacteria

29. SHIME-Tec  LabMET – Ghent University  Coupure Links 653  B-9000 Gent  www.shimetec.com or.be www.shimetec.com  +32/9/264.59.76