Our group investigates how fungal biology connects to gut health and sustainable food systems. We study fungi as key organisms that interact with both the microbiome and the food we eat, influencing human health and nutrition.

Our work has two main strands:

Fungi and the gut microbiome

We explore how commensal fungi – those that normally live harmlessly in the human body – such as Candida albicans, adapt to the gut environment and interact with both the human host and the bacterial microbiome. We aim to understand how these fungi can contribute to maintaining health, as well as the mechanisms that allow them to switch to a harmful state and cause disease.

Fungi and future foods

We use filamentous fungi to develop new, nutritious and sustainable foods. In parallel, we study how these fungal-based foods influence gut health, linking food innovation with microbiome research.

By combining fundamental fungal biology with food and microbiome science, our work seeks to uncover how fungi can support healthier people and more sustainable diets.

• Find out more about the Microbial Food Hub