Experts discuss the role of the body's microbes in gastrointestinal cancers

Professor Julian Teare spoke about his clinical experience in treating colorectal cancers

Two leading researchers discussed the role that microbes in our bodies play in gastrointestinal cancers in a recent seminar.

The seminar, hosted by The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Imperial College AHSC Seminar Series, can be viewed in the videos below.

The human body contains trillions of microbes, such as bacteria living in the gut. Scientists are increasingly interested in how this ‘microbiome’ can influence a person’s health. They are also exploring what we can learn by looking at the chemical signatures created by the activities of these microbes and other cells in the body – a field known as metabonomics. 

In the seminar on 27 March, Professor Elaine Holmes, Head of the Division of Computational and Systems Medicine at Imperial College London, spoke about her leading research into metabonomic technology. She discussed how continued advances in this area are helping scientists to understand the role of bacteria in the development and treatment of a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, including cancer.

Julian Teare, Professor of Gastroenterology at Imperial and Head of Endoscopy and Consultant Gastroenterologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, talked about his clinical experience in treating colorectal cancers. He explained how his work has been helping to develop improved endoscopic techniques and screening methods.

AHSC seminars are open to the general public and staff and students from the NHS partner Trusts and Imperial College London. The seminars aim to raise awareness of the research ongoing in the Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC).

The Imperial College AHSC is a partnership between Imperial College London, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust. It aims to advance medicine and improve the quality of life of NHS patients and patients around the world, by taking research discoveries and putting them into practice in healthcare as quickly as possible - introducing new therapies and techniques.