A growing body of research suggests the gut, brain and immune system constantly communicate and play a critical role in mood, cognitive function, and chronic illness. But scientists don’t yet fully understand how. This network will bring together leading experts to find the missing biological links – laying the foundation for new therapies and practical lifestyle recommendations backed by science.

The UK Gut-Immunology-Brain Axis Network+, led by Professor Jonathan Swann of the University of Southampton, will be the first in the UK to unite experts from across research disciplines to investigate how lifestyle factors such as diet, sleep, and stress influence the gut-immune-brain axis.

The project will run for four years and has received £4.5 million in funding from the Biotechnology and Biological science Research Council (BBSRC). It includes researchers from the universities of Southampton and Cambridge, King’s College London and the Quadram Institute.

Dr Aimee Parker is a BBSRC Fellow at the Quadram Institute and is one of the experts who is part of the network. She is working to understand how the gut microbiota plays a role in protecting against age-associated conditions linked to inflammation in the gut, the brain and the eye.

By understanding what components of the microbiota contribute to this protection and working out how they regulate gut-immune-brain communication, the hope is to be able to develop ways of modifying the gut microbes to protect against cognitive and visual decline in later life.

Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, Executive Chair of BBSRC, said:

“We now understand that the gut plays a far bigger role in physical, mental and cognitive health than previously thought. Understanding of interactions between biological systems is of major importance to our understanding of human health and disease. This research network will help us uncover how the gut microbiome, immune responses, and brain function interact – leading to new, evidence-based strategies to improve well-being across all stages of life.”

Dr Aimee Parker from the Quadram Institute said:

“Understanding how the gut connects to and influences the immune and nervous systems will allow us to develop novel strategies to improve health across the life-course. The network will support collaboration between scientists, clinicians and industry partners, harnessing the wealth of expertise we have in the UK and ccombining knowledge and technology from diverse research fields that may not have traditionally interacted.”

The findings from this research could lead to practical, evidence-based health advice that people can use in their daily lives – whether it’s choosing the right diet to boost mental resilience, identifying new therapies for brain-related disorders, or improving gut health to support overall well-being.

Read more about the UK Gut-Immunology-Brain Axis Network+ on the UKRI website 

Join the UK Gut-Immunology-Brain Axis Network+

If you’re interested in joining the UK Gut-Immunology-Brain Axis Network+ visit the GIBA website or email contact@giba-uk.org.

Whether it’s taking part or leading a collaborative project, attending a training course, bid for pump-prime funds or mingling at network events, we’re all ears for your brilliant ideas to share with researchers and innovators.