AIG Hospitals launches microbiome research centre to tackle chronic gastrointestinal diseases

AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad has inaugurated the Centre for Microbiome Research India on Friday, January 16 describing it as a major step towards transforming the treatment of chronic gastrointestinal diseases through gut microbiome-based science and therapeutics.

The facility is envisioned as a dedicated and integrated research hub that will focus on understanding the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease, and translating those insights into personalised clinical interventions, said the hospital in a release.

The human gut contains trillions of beneficial bacteria that function almost like a hidden organ, supporting digestion, immunity, and overall well-being. However, in many chronic digestive disorders, this balance is disrupted, leading to a reduction in beneficial microbes, an increase in harmful ones, and persistent inflammation.

Microbiome-based therapies aim to restore this natural balance by analysing an individual’s gut bacteria and designing treatments that promote beneficial microbes while reducing harmful ones. Unlike conventional approaches that primarily manage symptoms, this strategy seeks to address underlying biological mechanisms, potentially offering more durable relief with fewer side effects, the release added.

The Centre was inaugurated by Prof Emad El-Omar, a globally recognised expert in gut microbiome research. Prof El-Omar has also been appointed as Special Scientific Advisor to the Centre.

The centre’s primary focus will include conditions such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, fatty liver disease, obesity and other metabolic disorders, pancreatitis, and other complex gastrointestinal illnesses that are increasingly prevalent in India and worldwide, said Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman of AIG Hospitals.