Gut viruses & viromics
Dr Evelien Adriaenssens
Research Leader
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in health and disease. We are focused on the virus component of the microbiome called the virome, and its role in human health.
We investigate how these viruses interact with bacteria, other microorganisms and the human host system. We aim to elucidate the role of viruses in the healthy gut across life, leveraging data generated by the QI PEARL and MOTION studies. We are also heavily involved in virus taxonomy, creating a genomic framework with which to understand global viral diversity. We further aim to use newly isolated bacteriophages in the biocontrol of pathogenic bacteria in the fight against antimicrobial resistance and for the modulation of the microbiome to improve gut health.
We use a holistic approach of culture-dependent and computational methods to study the viruses in the human gut. Specifically, we are specialised in viromics (viral metagenomics) and genome-resolved investigations of gut viral communities to illuminate the dark matter in the virosphere.