In RUG, prof. S. El Aidy provides expertise in host-microbiome interactions with particular focus on metabolic exchange and the molecular processes that direct the dynamic interplay of microbiota and (human)host. The group uses an inter-disciplinary approach at the interface of chemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, physiology, and bioinformatics. In Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Dr. M. Sura-de Jong works on the link between soil, crop and human health, with a focus on crop (protein) nutrient quality. She has extensive knowledge of GMO’s and international experience in advising policymakers.

In the LUMC (dept of Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Dr. P.W.J. Maljaars, MD & Dr. M. Tushuizen, MD) there is extensive experience in performing human intervention studies, both in healthy volunteers as well as in different patient groups. Facilities are available and often used to collect patient data, and stool and blood samples. Well-defined patient cohorts exist in different disease areas including but not limited to inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, auto-immune liver diseases. At Maastricht University (NUTRIM; Prof. D. Jonker, Prof. J. Penders) there is large expertise in analyzing intestinal health, the impact of diet and the bidirectional interaction with the microbiome (Dept. Gastroenterology-Hepatology and Med. Microbiology and Infectious Diseases). Additionally, they have a state-of-the-art metabolic research facilities for performing human intervention studies and access to large patient cohorts.