Food Institutional Research Measure Food For Health Research Initiative

(FHRI)

Final Report

ELDERMET: Gut Microbiota as an indicator and agent of nutritional health in elderly Irish

subjects

DAFM Project Ref No: 07/FHRI/UCC/3

Start date: 30/12/07

End date: 31/12/13 (this date includes a 12 month no-cost extension)

Principal Coordinator: Prof Paul O’ Toole, University College Cork Email: pwotoole@ucc.ie

Other Principle Collaborating Researchers: Prof Ted Dinan, University College Cork

Prof Gerald Fitzgerald, University College Cork

Dr Tony Fitzgerald, University College Cork

Prof Colin Hill, University College Cork

Dr Julian Marchesi, University College Cork (now University of Cardiff)

Dr Denis O’ Mahony, University College Cork

Prof Paul Ross, Moorepark Food Research Centre (now University College Cork)

Prof Fergus Shanahan, University College Cork

Prof Catherine Stanton, Moorepark Food Research Centre

Prof Douwe van Sinderen, University College Cork

Please tick below the appropriate area on the research continuum where you feel this

project fits

BASIC/FUNDMENTAL APPLIED/PRE COMMERCIAL

x

Key words: (max 4) Elderly, health, diet, microbiota.

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1. Rationale for Undertaking the Research

This section should outline the rationale for carrying out the research and identify the need / problem to be addressed It is over one hundred years ago since the Ukrainian scientist Elie Metchnikoff made the

first link between gut microbiota and healthy ageing. Metchnikoff suggested that lactic-

acid bacteria could increase longevity and counteract noxious microbes in the gut. The

bacteria present in the gut make an important contribution to net metabolic

transformations executed in the gut and to a diverse range of health-related activities

such as immune and cognitive function. There is an increasing body of evidence linking

alterations in the human gut microbiota with a wide range of human syndromes including

Type 2 diabetes, obesity, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. At

the outset of this study, previous culture-based studies had indicated that the gut

microbiota of older people was different from that of younger adults, but the differences

reported were inconsistent. A number of factors including medication, disease, ageing and

diet have been reported to affect the gut microbiota composition.The changing pattern of

the gut microbiota in elderly subjects may be linked to host changes such as

immunosenescence, increased susceptibility to disease, and potentially systemic effects.

The composition of the gut microbiota may be modulated by dietary intervention or

supplementation. The aims of ELDERMET were to:

1. Determine the baseline composition of the gut microbiota of elderly volunteers in

the Irish population, using state-of-the-art molecular techniques using a

combination of molecular (culture-independent) methodologies including next-

generation 454 pyrosequencing and Shotgun sequencing technology.

2. Identify correlations between microbiota diversity and composition and a range of

health and lifestyle indices with cross referencing of the data with food intake to

establish the influence of diet on microbiota and health. As a result dietary

components such as prebiotics would be investigated (in future projects) for their

ability to modulate the composition of the gut microbiota with potential to improve

the health in an elderly population.

3. Develop recommendations for specific dietary ingredients, foodstuffs, functional

foods and/or dietary supplements that would improve the health of elderly

consumers.

4. Provide evidence-based recommendations for prospective studies to determine the

molecular mechanisms for health improvements promoted by specific food

ingredients that modulate components of the microbiota

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2. Research Approach

Specify the research methodologies employed, emphasising novel techniques and also outline any modifications from the original approved project proposal

The timely recruitment of 500 elderly individuals and subsequent collection of biological

samples and health, dietary and lifestyle measurements was fundamental to the project.

This was conducted from a cross-section of the population including: Community-dwelling,

Hospitalised: Long stay institutionalised care, C. difficile positive and newly diagnosed

colorectal cancer patients. As the target number of subjects for the C. difficile stratum

could not be reached due to hospital vigilance, over-recruitment to other strata was

required to ensure the overall study population was achieved.

It was essential to establish robust bioinformatics and biostatistical analytical platforms

to handle integrate and process the ELDERMET sequencing, clinical and dietary

information datasets in order to identify correlations between the different various

components. The development of a data storage, retrieval and filtering database system

(MetaSiGHT) within the project allowed for greater ease and more rapid data analysis. Metaphore, a system developed in-house facilitated a full investigation of the shotgun

metagenomic data. The complex datasets involved in the project has led to improved novel

methodologies to process such information.

Determination of the the composition of the gut microbiota of 500 elderly Irish subjects

was carried out using state-of-the-art pyrosequencing of 16s rRNA amplicon libraries.

Traditional culture methods were used to carry out microbial analysis and determine the

temporal stability and variation of gut bacteria with the elderly population. Isolation of

faceal cultures of human origin was carried out to establish a bio-bank. The prevalence of

C. difficile within the population also determined.

Shotgun sequencing of faecally-derived bacterial DNA was carried out to provide

additional compositional and phylogenetic analysis as well as in depth functional analysis of

the ELDERMET samples. This data was critical to formulate hypotheses of mechanisms

potentially involved in health modulation.

Metabolomic analysis was carried out on a range of samples from the study population

including plasma and fecal water using NMR and the latest MS technology. This has led to

the generation of metabolic profiles and quantification of metabolites. Comparative

analysis of this data with the metagenomic and microbiota datasets has given further

insight into the links between the microbiota, diet and health in an elderly population.

3. Research Achievements

Outline results achieved Biological (blood, urine and fecal) samples have been collected and banked from over 500

human elderly subjects representative of the Irish population. Samples from the

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ELDERMET subjects have been analysed using traditional microbiological culture

techniques. A bank of frozen cultures of over 6000 bifidobacteria and lactobacillus

isolates has been successfully established from all samples collected. These samples

constitute an invaluable bank of live intestinal isolates for further analysis and future

research.

Composition and health/lifestyle index co-clustering for baseline measurements in the

ELDERMET population has been achieved. Biostatistical analysis of all subject data,

including microbiota (compositional, temporal and functional analysis), has identified new

linkages between microbiota and health/lifestyle

The significant challenges presented by the complex nature of ELDERMET datasets has

led to the development of novel data analysis methodologies which can be further applied

to future data sets beyond the current project, and that have facilitated participation in

two EU projects. The established platforms have the capacity to analyse larger and more

complex data sets going forward.

ELDERMET has continued to disseminate information and interact with stakeholder for

the duration of the project. This is evident from the large number of activities which have

occurred throughout the project including a paper in Nature, invitations to speak at

international conferences and increased media attention. The ELDERMET brand will

continue to publicize and share its findings to stakeholders to ultimately benefit the

elderly population.

4. Impact of the Research

Provide a summary of outcomes of research and outline the benefits of the research to end users, e.g. industry, consumers, regulatory authorities, and scientific community etc

The samples collected in ELDERMET have generated important information regarding the

health status of an Irish elderly population. The links between microbiota, diet and health

have already been communicated to the food industry and now serve as a basis for the

development of new products or ingredients which can influence/modulate gut microbiota

that could specifically benefit the elderly population. These findings are also important to

the health sector and should lead to improvements in the diets given to elderly

patients/residents in care.

The data generated has and will continue to impact research into factors which influence

healthy ageing. Although funding for the project from DAFM has now ceased, the

established ELDERMET brand will continue to capture further funding and to expand its

database by recruiting further subjects to enhance the findings and what has been

achieved during this period of funding.

The ELDERMET database is an invaluable resource that can be further expanded on and

incorporated into future research projects leading to further associations between

microbiota, diet and health being identified. The data analysis methodologies developed

and established within the project have the capacity to analyse larger and more complex

data sets going forward.

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ELDERMET is now established as a recognised brand in the area of healthy ageing which

will continue to expand beyond this funding period. Dissemination of the project findings

has and will continue to influence this area of research at both the industrial and academic

level. The ELDERMET profile has already leveraged further research funding and led to

the development of new collaborations and this is expected to continue. The profile of the

project members have been enhanced through the host of dissemination activities arising

from the project in particular through the publications and invited presentations. The lead

investigator has recently been appointed to the Science Advisory Board to the JPI: A

Healthy Diet for A Healthy Life thus highlighting the caliber and relevance of the

research. It also must be acknowledged that a number of the ELDERMET research team

have gone on to secure permanent positions both in academia and industry.

We recognize the importance of continuing to communicate ELDERMET research outputs

to a wide audience (from policy makers, healthcare providers through to the general

public, especially but not exclusively the elderly) to promote its overarching message that

diet and microbiota can influence healthy ageing.

5. Exploitation of the Research

Outline the outcomes of the research that have commercial or economic importance and provide details of Intellectual Property / licences / patents generated. Details of outputs adopted by industry should also be provided

We have established in vitro, in vivo and animal models to further investigate the links

between the microbiota and diet and health and the effect of dietary ingredients on

modulating the gut microbiota. This will increase our knowledge and understanding of the

complex interaction that occurs while also identifying particular bacteria and food

ingredients that are positively influence our health.

ELDERMET outcomes have been disseminated to 23 industrial organizations in the food

and pharma sectors. This has led to a number of collaborative projects with a view to

developing novel food products specifically targeting the microbiota towards improving

health.

The existing ELDERMET database and bio-bank continues to expand and this offers huge

potential for further collaborations in with the food and pharma sector. The vast bank of

cultures could offer new probiotics and or therapeutic medicines. Further mining of the

datasets could identify biomarkers related to disease and health and lead to novel

diagnostic.

Opportunities to exploit the research arising from ELDERMET is ongoing. The research

continues build on the existing knowledge and leverage funds from various sources. The

principal investigators were main applicants in the successful bid to secure a third round

of funding for the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre. Further funding to carry out

associated research has also been granted by DAFM including ELDERFOOD and

EXERCISEMET. Because of DAFM-FHRI funding, ELDERMET PIs were also of sufficient

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international profile to be inclided as partners in a number of related FP7 projects

including: NU-AGE, Fibebiotics and MyNewGut which include industrial partners. It is

hoped to continue to leverage further funding and exploit the project outcomes through

the current EU framework, Horizon 2020 and ELDERMET PIs are involved in a number of

consortia submitting to various call. Prof Catherine Stanton is currently co-ordinating a

proposal on ‘Tackling Malnutrition in the Elderly’ which will be submitted in 2015. The

consortia includes partners from academia and industry and the EU and non-EU countries.

6. Summary of Research Outputs

(a) Intellectual Property applications/licences/patents

None to date

(b) Innovations adopted by industry

We have collaborations arising out of ELDERMET with Kerry; Lakelands Dairies,

General Mills. We also have on-going discussions with Nutricia; Bioatlantis. The

ELDERMET leading PI is in discussion with UCC about establishing a start-up

campus company in the microbiome area. He has also held preliminary discussions

with Enterprise Ireland regarding a Commercial Feasibility study leading to a

Commercialization Fund application, potentially leading to a second start-up

company. Additionally Prof.’s Ross and Hill started a campus spinout company

PhageWorks that draws upon know-how developed in ELDERMET.

(c) Number of companies in receipt of information

23

(d) Outcomes with economic potential

1. The links between microbiota, diet and health will inform the food industry and

serve as a basis to the development of new products or ingredients which can

influence/modulate gut microbiota.

2. The biobank established in ELDERMET is of interest to the food, medical and

pharmaceutical industries in particular the culture collection of isolates which have the

potential as probiotics or therapeutic product development targeting the elderly and

disease.

3. Ongoing mining of the ELDERMET data has the potential to identify novel

biomarkers of health and disease which is could lead to the development of new

diagnostics for early detection and prevention and treatment strategies.

4. Recommendations and guidelines resulting from ELDERMET will lead to elderly

consumers making improved food choices to maintain a healthier life which has an economic

impact on healthcare services.

(e) Outcomes with national/ policy/social/environmental potential

1. Ireland similar to every other country is experiencing an increased unsustainable

burden on healthcare systems due to its ageing population. ELDERMET findings highlight

the importance of diet in maintaining health and aims to provide recommendations to policy

makers and health service authorities to promote a healthy diet for a healthy life.

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2. The dissemination of ELDERMET to the public in particular the elderly population is

expected to have a positive societal impact by influencing the food we eat which helps

promotes healthy ageing. This leads to more active seniors living, working, volunteering and

contributing in the community.

(f) Peer-reviewed publications, International Journal/Book chapters.

1. Ventura, M., Turroni, F., Canchaya, C., Vaughan, E., O’Toole, P.W. and D. van

Sinderen. 2009. Microbial diversity in the human intestine: benefits of a

metagenomics approach. Frontiers in Bioscience 14: 214-221

2. O’Toole, P.W. and J.C. Cooney. 2009. The influence of probiotics on the intestinal

microbiota. In The Human Microbiome and Infectious Diseases: Beyond Koch. V.B.

Young, and R.A. Britton, ed.’s. Interdisc. Perspect. Inf. Dis.

doi:10.1155/2008/175285

3. Ventura, M., F. Turroni, S. O’Flaherty, M.J. Claesson, T.R. Klaenhammer, D. van

Sinderen, and P.W. O’Toole. 2009. Genome-scale analyses of health-promoting

bacteria: probiogenomics. Nature Reviews Microbiology 7: 61-71. 4. Turroni F., Marchesi JR., Foroni E., Gueimonde M., Shanahan F., Margolles A., van

Sinderen D., Ventura M. 2009 Microbiomic analysis of the bifidobacterial population

in the human distal gut. The ISME Journal, 3(6): 745-51

5. Turroni F., Foroni E., Pizzetti P., Giubellini V., Ribbera A., Merusi P., Cagnasso P.,

Bizzarri B., de'Angelis GL., Shanahan F., van Sinderen D., Ventura M. 2009.

Exploring the diversity of the bifidobacterial population in the human intestinal

tract. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 75(6): 1,534 - 45.

6. Claesson, M.J., O. O’Sullivan , Q. Wang , J. Nikkilä, J.R. Marchesi, H. Smidt, W. M.

de Vos, R. P. Ross, and P. W. O’Toole. 2009. Comparative Analysis of Pyrosequencing

and a Phylogenetic Microarray for Exploring Microbial Community Structures in the

Human Distal Intestine. PLoS One. 4(8): e6669

7. O’Toole PW & Claesson MJ. (2010). Gut Microbiota: Changes Throughout the

Lifespan from Infancy to Elderly. International Dairy Journal. 20: 281-291.

8. Claesson MJ Cusack S, O'Sullivan O, Greene-Diniz R, de Weerd H, Flannery E,

Marchesi JR, Falush D, Dinan T, Fitzgerald G, Stanton C, van Sinderen D, O'Connor

M, Harnedy N, O'Connor K, Henry C, O'Mahony D, Fitzgerald AP, Shanahan F,

Twomey C, Hill C, Ross RP, O'Toole PW (2010). Composition, variability and temporal

stability of the intestinal microbiota of the elderly. PNAS 2010. Published online

before print June 22, 2010, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1000097107

9. O'Toole PW and Claesson, MJ (2010). Gut Microbiota: Changes Throughout the

Lifespan, from Infancy to Elderly. International Dairy Journal. (2010) 20; 281 –

291.

10. O’Toole PW, Snelling WJ, Canchaya C, Forde BM, Hardie KR, Josenhans C, Graham

RLj, McMullan G, Parkhill J, Belda E, Bentley SD. (2010). Comparative genomics and

proteomics of Helicobacter mustelae, an ulcerogenic and carcinogenic gastric

pathogen. BMC genomics 11: 164.

11. Thornton, RF, Kagawa TF, O'Toole PW, Cooney JC. (2010). The dissemination of C10

cysteine protease genes in Bacteroides fragilis species by mobile genetic elements.

BMC Microbiol. 10: 122.

12. Claesson Wang Q, O'Sullivan O, Greene-Diniz R, Cole JR, Ross RP, O'Toole PW

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(2010). Comparison of Two Next-generation Sequencing Technologies for Resolving

Highly Complex Microbiota Composition Using Tandem Variable 16S rRNA Gene

Regions: The ELDERMET project. Nucleic Acids Research 38 (22):e200. doi:

10.1093/nar/gkq873

13. Claesson MJ, O'Sullivan O, Wang Q, Nikkilä J, Marchesi JR, Smidt H, de Vos WM,

Ross RP, O'Toole PW (2009) 'Comparative analysis of pyrosequencing and a

phylogenetic microarray for exploring microbial community structures in the human

distal intestine'. Plos One (8): e6669. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006669

14. Cusack S & O'Toole PW (2010). "The human intestinal microbota, diet and health. From infancy to old age". AgroFood Industry hi-tech - September/October 2010.

Volume 21, No. 5.

15. Cusack S, Claesson MJ & O'Toole PW (2010). "How beneficial is the use of probiotic supplements for the aging gut?" Future Medicine - Aging Health. 7(2),

179-186.

16. Caly, D.L., P.W. O’Toole, and S.A. Moore (2010). The 2.2 Å resolution structure of

the HP0958 protein from Helicobacter pylori reveals a kinked anti-parallel coiled-

coil domain and a highly conserved Zn-ribbon domain. J. Mol. Biol. 403: 405–419.

17. Murphy, E.F., P D Cotter, S Healy, T M Marques, O O'Sullivan, F Fouhy, S F Clarke,

P. W. O'Toole, E M Quigley, C Stanton, P R Ross, R M O'Doherty, F Shanahan.

Composition and energy harvesting capacity of the gut microbiota: relationship to

diet, obesity and time in mouse models. Gut 59: 1635-1642.

18. Flint HJ, O'Toole PW, Walker AW. 2010. Special issue: The Human Intestinal

Microbiota. Microbiology. 156: 3203-3204.

19. Shanahan F. 2010. “Gut Microbes: From Bugs to Drugs”. American Journal of

Gastroenterology 105: 275-279.

20. Claesson and O’ Toole PW (2010). Evaluating the latest high-throughput molecular

techniques for the exploration of microbial gut communities. Gut microbes (4):277-

278. 2010

21. Jeffery I.B., O’Toole P.W., Öhman L, Claesson M.J., Deane J, Quigley E.M.M.,

Simrén M. An Irritable Bowel Syndrome subtype defined by species-specific

alterations in faecal microbiota. Gut. Published online before print Dec 16, 2011

doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2011-301501.

22. Marchesi JR (2011). Human distal gut microbiome. Environ. Microbiol. 13(12): 3088-

102.

23. Riboulet-Bisson E, Sturme M.H.J, Jeffery I.B, O’Donnell M.M, Neville B.A, Forde

B.A, Claesson M.J, Gardiner G.E, Casey P.G, Lawlor P.G, Ross R.P, O’Toole P.W.

Effect of the Lactobacillus salivarius Bacteriocin Abp118 on the mouse and pig

intestinal microbiota. PLoS ONE 2012;7(2):e31113. doi:

10.1371/journal.pone.0031113.

24. O'Sullivan Ó, Coakley M, Lakshminarayanan B, Claesson MJ, Stanton C, O'Toole PW,

Ross RP; ELDERMET consortium (http://eldermet.ucc.ie). Correlation of rRNA gene

amplicon pyrosequencing and bacterial culture for microbial compositional analysis

of faecal samples from elderly Irish subjects. J Appl Microbiol. 2011 Aug;

111(2):467-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2011.05067

25. Jeffery, I.B., O’Toole P.W., Öhman L, Claesson M.J., Deane J, Quigley E.M.M.,

Simrén M. 2012. An Irritable Bowel Syndrome subtype defined by species-specific

alterations in faecal microbiota. Gut 61:997-1006.

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26. Rea, M., O'Sullivan O, Shanahan F, O'Toole P.W., Stanton C, Ross R.P., Hill C. 2012.

Clostridium difficile carriage in elderly subjects and associated changes in the

intestinal microbiota. J. Clin. Micro. 50:867-75.

27. Claesson M.J., Jeffery I.B, Conde S, Power S.E., O’Connor E.M., Cusack S, Harris H,

Coakley M, Lakshminarayanan B, O’Sullivan O, Fitzgerald G.F., Deane J, O’Connor M,

Harnedy N, O’Connor K, O’Mahony D, van Sinderen D, Wallace M, Brennan L, Stanton

C, Marchesi J.R., Fitzgerald A.P., Shanahan F, Hill C, Ross R.P., O’Toole P.W. 2012.

Gut microbiota composition correlates with diet and health in the elderly. Nature

488: 178-184.

28. Jeffery I.B., O’Toole P.W. 2013 Diet-microbiota interactions and their implications

for healthy living. Nutrients Special Issue ‘Gut Microbiota and Gut Function’, Jan

17;5(1):234-52. doi: 10.3390/nu5010234.

29. Jeffery I.B., Claesson, M.J., O’Toole, P.W., Shanahan, F. Categorization of the gut

microbiota: enterotypes or gradients? Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 10, 591–592 (2012).

30. Cusack S., Rose Day M., Wills, T. & Coffey, A. 2012. Older people and laxative use:

comparison between community and long term care settings. British Journal of

Community Nursing. 21: 711-4

31. Borrel, G., Harris H.M.B., Tottey W, Mihajlovski A, Parisot N, Peyretaillade E,

Peyret P, O'Toole P.W., Brugère J-F. 2012. Genome sequence of “candidatus

Methanomethylophilus alvus” Mx1201, a methanogenic archaea from the human gut

belonging to a seventh order of methanogens. J. Bacteriology 94:6944.

32. Fraher, M.H., O’Toole P.W., Quigley E. 2012. Techniques used to characterize the

gut microbiota: a guide for the clinician. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology

Hepatology 27;9(6):312-22

33. O’Toole, P.W. 2012. Changes in the intestinal microbiota from adulthood through to

old age. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 18 Suppl 4: 44-46.

34. Cusack, S. and O’Toole P.W. 2012. Challenges and Implications for Biomedical

Research and Intervention Studies in Older Populations: Insights from the

ELDERMET Study. Gerontology, doi: 10.1159/000343158

35. Jeffery, I.B., Claesson M.J., O’Toole P.W. 2012. Intestinal Microbiota, Alterations

in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Human Metagenomics Volume III in Encyclopedia of

Metagenomics; K.E. Nelson K.E (series ed.) & S. Highlander S (vol. ed.), Springer-

Verlag Berlin Heidelberg,Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 0. DOI:

10.1007/SpringerReference_303411 2012-09-10 22:21:55 UTC.

36. Claesson M.J., Jeffery, I.B., O’Toole P.W. 2012. Intestinal Microbiota and Aging.

Human Metagenomics Volume III in Encyclopaedia of Metagenomics; K.E. Nelson K.E

(series ed.) & S. Highlander S (vol. ed.), Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 0. DOI:

10.1007/SpringerReference_303410 2012-09-10 22:42:15 UTC.

37. Cusack S., E.M. O’Connor and P.W. O’Toole. 2012. ELDERMET: Enhancing gut health

in the Irish elderly through an improved understanding of intestinal bacteria.

Human Metagenomics Volume III in Encyclopedia of Metagenomics; K.E. Nelson

(series ed.) & S. Highlander (vol. ed.), Springer Reference publishers.

38. Jeffery, I.B., Claesson, M.J., O’Toole, P.W., and F. Shanahan. 2012. Categorization

of the gut microbiota: enterotypes or gradients? Nature Reviews Microbiology 10:

591-592.

39. O'Connor, EM. (2013). The role of gut microbiota in nutritional status. Curr Opin

Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013 Jul 10.

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40. O'Sullivan, Ó., Coakley, M., Lakshminarayanan, B., Conde, S., Claesson, M.J., Cusack,

S., Fitzgerald, A.P., O'Toole, P.W., Stanton, C. and R.P. Ross. (2013) Alterations in

intestinal microbiota of elderly Irish subjects post-antibiotic therapy. Journal of

Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 68(1):214-221.

41. Lakshminarayanan, B., Guinane, C.M., O’Connor, P.M., Coakley, M., Hill, C., Stanton, C.,

O’Toole, P.W. and R.P. Ross. (2013) Isolation and characterization of bacteriocin-

producing bacteria from the intestinal microbiota of elderly Irish subjects. Journal

of Applied Microbiology. 114(3):886-898.

42. Lakshminarayanan, B., Harris, H.M.B. Coakley, M., O’Sullivan, Ó, Stanton, C.,

Pruteanu, M., Shanahan, F., O’Toole P.W. and R.P. Ross. (2013) Prevalence and

characterisation of Clostridium perfringens from the faecal microbiota of elderly

Irish subjects. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 62(3): 457-466.

43. Jeffery, IB & O'Toole, PW (2013). Diet-Microbiota Interactions and Their

Implications for Healthy Living. Nutrients. 2013; 5(1):234-252.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23344252

44. Cusack, S (2013). Diet, the gut microbiota and healthy ageing: How dietary

modulation of the gut microbiota could transform the health of older populations.

Agro Food Industry Hi-Tech Vol 24(2). http://www.teknoscienze.com/Articles/Agro-FOOD-INDUSTRY-hi-tech-Diet-the-

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46. Siobhán Cusack & Paul W. O’Toole on behalf of the ELDERMET consortium (2013).

Challenges and Implications for Biomedical Research and Intervention Studies in

Older Populations: Insights from the ELDERMET Study. Gerontology 2013; 59:114–

121, DOI: 10.1159/000343158.

47. Power SE, O’Toole PW, Stanton C, Ross RP and Fitzgerald GF (2013) Intestinal

Microbiota, Diet and Health. British Journal of Nutrition DOI:

10.1017/S0007114513002560.

48. Power SE, Jeffery IB, Ross RP, O’Toole PW, Stanton C, O'Connor EM and

Fitzgerald GF (2013) Food and nutrient intake of Irish community-dwelling elderly

subjects: who is at nutritional risk? J Nutr Health Aging. 2014;18(6):561-72. doi:

10.1007/s12603-014-0449-9

49. Power SE, Harris HMB, Bottacini F, Ross RP, O’Toole PW and Fitzgerald GF (2013)

Draft genome sequence of Lactobacillus crispatus EM-LC1, an isolate with

antimicrobial activity cultured from an elderly subject. Genome Announc. 2013 Dec

19;1(6). pii: e01070-13. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.01070-13

50. Lakshminarayanan, B., Stanton, C., O’Toole, P.W. and R.P. Ross. (2013) Compositional

dynamics of the human intestinal microbiota with aging: implications for health. J

Nutr Health Aging Sept 2014: doi 10.1007/s12603-014-0513-5

51. Rampelli S, Candela M, Turroni S, Biagi E, Collino S, Franceschi C, O’Toole PW, and

Brigidi P (2013). Functional metagenomic profiling of intestinal microbiome in

extreme Ageing. AGING, December 2013, Vol. 5 No.12.

http://www.impactaging.com/papers/v5/n12/pdf/100623.pdf

52. Culligan EP, Sleator RD, Marchesi JR, Hill C (2013) Functional Environmental

Screening of a Metagenomic Library Identifies stlA; A Unique Salt Tolerance Locus

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from the Human Gut Microbiome . PLoS ONE 8(12): e82985.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0082985

53. Lynch, D. B., Jeffery, I. B., Cusack, S., O’Connor, E. M., P. W. O’Toole. (2013) Diet-

microbiota-health interactions in older subjects: implications for healthy aging.

Interdiscip Top Gerontol. doi: 10.1159/000364976, Epub 2014 Oct 13

54. Neville BA, Sheridan P, Harris HMB, Coghlan S, Jeffery IB, Forde BM, et al. (2013).

Pro-inflammatory flagellin proteins of commensal Eubacterium and Roseburia

species are variably represented in the intestinal microbiome of elderly humans.

PLoS One. (2013) 8(7):e68919.

55. Power SE, O'Connor EM, Ross RP, Stanton C, O’Toole PW, Fitzgerald GF and IB

Jeffery (2013) Dietary glycaemic load associated with cognitive performance in

elderly subjects. Eur J Nutr. 2014 Jul 18.

56. O’Connor E.M., O’Herlihy E.A., O’Toole P.W. (2014) Gut microbiota in older subjects:

variation, causes and health consequences. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.

Proc Nutr Soc. 2014 Nov;73(4):441-51. doi: 10.1017/S0029665114000597. Epub

2014 May 13

57. O’Sullivan O, Coakley M, Lakshminarayanan B, Conde S, Claesson M.J, Cusack S,

Fitzgerald A.P, O’Toole P.W, Stanton C, Ross R.P. Intestinal dysbiosis in older Irish

subjects receiving antibiotic therapy. (In preparation).

58. Lakshminarayanan B et al. Characterisation of Clostridium perfringens isolated from

the elderly gut on mupirocin-based selective medium (in preparation).

59. Lakshminarayanan B, Guinane C. M, O’Connor P.M, Coakley M, Stanton C, O’Toole

P.W, Ross R.P. The ELDERMET Biobank: Isolation and characterisation of anti-

microbial producing bacteria from the intestinal microbiota of elderly Irish

subjects. (In preparation).

60. Coakley M, O’Sullivan O, Lakshminarayanan B, Hogan A, Cotter P, Stanton C, O’Toole

P.W, Ross R.P. Recovery of culturable bifidobacteria from human faecal samples. (In

preparation).

61. Cusack S, O'Connor EM, O'Toole PW (2014) 'ELDERMET: Enhancing gut health in

the Irish elderly through an improved understanding of intestinal bacteria' In:

Human Metagenomics Volume III in Encyclopedia of Metagenomics. Europe:

Springer Reference Publishers (in press).

62. Lynch, D., Jeffery, I.B., Cusack, S., O’Connor, E.M., & O’Toole P.W. (2014) 'Diet-

microbiota-health Interactions in Older Subjects: Implications for Healthy Aging'

In: Systems Biology of Aging. Switzerland: Medical and Scientific Publishers (in

press).

(g) Scientific abstracts or articles including those presented at conferences

1. ElderMet: functional foods for healthy aging. Relay Research mail-out and web

article, release date July 7th 2008. (Downloaded 449 times as of July 30th, 2008).

2. O'Sullivan, O., Wall, R., Stack, H., Fitzgerald, G., Hussey, S., Ryan, C.A., Murphy,

B.P., O'Toole, P., Ross, R.P., and Stanton, C.. Genomic diversity of the enteric

microbiota of the infant. Published abstract in proceedings and invited Oral

presentation. EMBO workshop "Microbial diversity and metagenomics". Porto

Carras, Thessaloniki, Greece. 21st - 24th June 2008.

12

3. Claesson M., O’Toole P.W. BlastXtract2 - Improving the early exploration of

(meta)genomic sequences by intuitive visualisation and management. EMBO

workshop "Microbial diversity and metagenomics". Porto Carras, Thessaloniki,

Greece 21st - 24th June, 2008.

4. M. J. Claesson. GIT Metagenomics "The Irish Way". Presentation at “Statistical

methods for metagenomics 2008”, Harnack House, Berlin, Germany. July 9-11th

2008.

5. Claesson M., O’Toole P.W. BlastXtract2 - Improving the early exploration of

(meta)genomic sequences by intuitive visualisation and management. The 9th

International Conference on Systems Biology. August 22nd – 28th, 2008.

6. Claesson M., O’Toole P.W. BlastXtract2 - Improving the early exploration of

(meta)genomic sequences by intuitive visualisation and management. The 9th

Symposium on Lactic Acid Bacteria. August 21st -September 4th, 2008.

7. "ELDERMET – Gut Microbiota as an indicator and agent of nutritional health in

elderly Irish adults." 38th Annual Research Conference - Food, Nutrition and

Consumer Science Conference. University College Cork, 4th September, 2008.

8. Relay Research Update on the Food and Health Programme. FH001: ELDERMET:

Nutritional health in the elderly. 4th July, 2008.

9. O’Toole, P.W. “Functional Genomics of Commensal Lactobacilli and their Impact on

the Human Intestinal Microbiota. Division of Microbial Diseases, University College

London, Eastman Dental Institute. February 11th, 2009.

10. P. Ross. “Microbial production of bioactives – from Fermented Functional foods to

probiotic mechanisms”. The 2009 IDF/DIAA Dairy Science World Series

Conference, Melbourne, Australia – Functional Dairy Foods 2009. 24-25th Feb.

2009.

11. C. Hill. “Enteric Flora and Inflammation”. Falk Symposium, Cork, Ireland. March 6,

2009

12. P. W. O’Toole. The Light in the Intestinal Tract Tunnel. ABS - VLAG Graduate

School Course, Helsinki. March 11th – 14th, 2009.

13. C. Hill. “Probiotics as therapeutics” Society for General Microbiology Annual

Meeting, Harrogate, UK. April 1-4, 2009.

14. Relay Research Update - FHRI programme. FH001. ELDERMET: exploring the role

of diet, the gut microbiota and healthy aging April 2nd, 2009.

15. Genome British Columbia – Genomics forum: Fergus Shanahan. Mining the microbiota. Vancouver April 3rd, 2009

16. International Conference on Diverticular Disease. Royal Society of Medicine,

London April 23rd, 2009. Fergus Shanahan – Probiotics and diverticulosis.

17. C. Stanton “Development of Functional Foods based on beneficial micro-organisms

and the bioactives they produce” (Keynote Speech) 9th Annual Food Chemistry

Conference, Terceira, Azores, Portugal. May 2nd, 2009.

18. C. Twomey. "Issues in Caring for the Elderly". The Royal Society of Medicine

Regional Conference. May 21st, 2009 Cork.

19. C. Stanton. “Gut microbiota and food-grade bacteria have a regulatory influence on

the composition of host fat tissue” ISG Killarney. June 19th, 2009.

20. O’Toole, P.W. Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease. “Challenges In Clinical

Gastroenterology: An American - Irish Dialogue”. Irish Society of Gastroenterology

meeting, Killarney, June 19 2009.

13

21. The ELDERMET Consortium. Translational Health Research Conference 24th June,

2009. College of Medicine and Health. Brookfield Health Sciences Complex,

University College Cork.

22. Comparative Analysis of Pyrosequencing and a Phylogenetic Microarray for

Exploring Microbial Community Structures in the Human Distal Intestine. M.J.

Claesson, O. O’Sullivan, Q. Wang, J. Nikkilä, J.R. Marchesi, H. Smidt, W.M. de Vos,

R.P. Ross, P.W. O’Toole. FEMS 2009, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 27th-July 2nd, 2009.

23. C. Hill. “4b or not 4b; the Listeria conundrum”. 3rd FEMS Congress, Gothenburg,

Sweden. July 1st, 2009.

24. Cusack, S. “ELDERMET – Gut microbiota as an indicator and agent of nutritional

health in elderly Irish adults”. 39th Annual Research Conference: Food, Nutrition

and Consumer Science. September 4th, 2009.

25. Ross, P. “Bioactive Compounds Extracted from Irish Seaweeds with Applications in

Functional Foods”. Health Ingredients, Toyko Big Sight, Japan. October 14th –

16th, 2009.

26. Ross, P. “Overview of Teagasc Functional Foods Programme”. USDA, Baltimore and

Philadelphia, USA. October 19th – 23rd, 2009.

27. Claesson, M. “Ultra-high resolution of Microbial Community Structures in the

Human Distal Intestine”. Arthur M. Sackler Colloquium of the US National

Academy of Sciences, University of Calfornia, Irvine. November 2nd – 3rd, 2009.

28. O’Toole, P.W. “Gut Microbiota of Elderly Irish Subjects”. Poster and invited oral

presentation. Arthur M. Sackler Colloquium of the US National Academy of

Sciences, University of California, Irvine. November 2nd – 3rd, 2009.

29. "Ultra-high resolution of Microbial Community Structures in the Human Distal

Intestine." 22/01/2010. Virtual Institute of Bioinformatics, Dublin City

University.

30. Claesson et al. Ultra high resolution of microbial community structures in the

human distal intestine. US-Ireland Functional Foods Conference, March 9th – 11th,

2010 (pg 29).

31. Claesson et al. Ultra high resolution of microbial community structures in the

human distal intestine. INRA / Rowlett conference Aberdeen 23-25 June 2010

32. Claesson et al. Comparison of two next-generation sequencing technologies for

resolving highly complex microbiota composition using tandem variable 16S rRNA

gene regions. Molecules to Medicine Annual Research Conference. June 16th 2010

33. Cusack et al. All Ireland Gerontological Nurses Association (AIGNA). Older adults flourishing, nurses promoting active ageing' June 3rd, 2010

34. Cusack et al. Compositional analysis of the human gut microbiota in elderly Irish

subjects. Molecules to Medicine Annual Research Conference. June 16th 2010.

35. Laks et al. ELDERMET: Gut Health in the Elderly - Composition of the gut

microbiotia of elderly Irish subjects. US-Ireland Functional Foods Conference,

March 9th – 11th, 2010 (pg 41).

36. Laks et al. ELDERMET - Gut microbiota as an indicator and agent of nutritional

helath in elderly Irish subjects. Molecules to medicine annual research conference,

June 16th, 2010

37. O’Sullivan et al. Investigation of microbial communities in the elderly human distal

intestine using MEGAN. US-Ireland Functional Foods Conference, March 9th – 11th,

2010 (pg 51).

14

38. O’Sullivan et al. Investigation of microbial communities in the elderly human distal

intestine using MEGAN. Molecules to medicine annual research conference. Cork

June 16th 2010

39. O’Sullivan et al. Investigation of microbial communities in the elderly human distal

intestine using MEGAN. Gut microbiology conference INRA / Rowlett institute,

Aberdeen 23rd - 25th 2010

40. O'Toole et al. ELDERMET - gut microbiota as an indicator and agent of nutritional

health in elderly Irish subjects. (US-Ireland Functional Foods Conference, March

9th – 11th, 2010 (pg 52).

41. van Sinderen et al. Plenary lecture at 3rd International Symposium on

Propionibacterium and Bifidobacterium, Oviedo, Spain: Functional analysis of a

prototype Bifidobacterium through ‘omics’ approaches.

42. Murphy et al. The influence of age, diet and obesity on the composition and energy

harvesting capacity of the gut microbiota in two mouse models of obesity. US-

Ireland Functional Foods Conference, March 9th – 11th, 2010 (pg 46).

43. Comparison of Two next generation sequencing technologies for resolving highly

complex microbiota composition using tandem variable 16S rRNA gene regions: The

ELDERMET project. EUGMS/IGS Congress, 2010: Geriatric medicine: New

challenges, new techniques and new technologies. September 29th - October 1st,

2010.

44. "Ultra-high resolution of Microbial Community Structures in the Human Distal

Intestine." 17/09/2010. Virtual Institute of Bioinformatics, University College

Cork.

45. The Cornerstones of positive ageing - development of an information booklet.

FEASA - Newsletter of the All-Ireland Gerontological Nurses Association:

"Challenging perceptions of ageing". Issue 2, Volume 1, October 2010.

46. Examination of the composition and stability of the human gut microbiota in elderly

Irish subjects: The ELDERMET project. EUGMS/IGS Congress, 2010: Geriatric

medicine: New challenges, new techniques and new technologies. September 29th -

October 1st, 2010.

47. |Proceedings of the 39th annual research conference Food, Nutrition and Consumer

Sciences. 3rd, September 2009, UCC. "ELDERMET - gut microbiota as an indicator and agent of nutritional health in elderly Irish adults".

48. Power S.E., O’Toole P.W., O’Connor E.M., Jeffery I.B., Fitzgerald G.F. Compliance

with Irish food based dietary guidelines in community dwelling elderly subjects

(The ELDERMET project). 40th Annual UCC Food Research Conference, Cork,

Ireland, March 31st - April 1st 2011. Poster Presentation.

49. Marchesi J. "Human metagenomics in the gut" April 2011, University of Nottingham.

50. Jeffery I.B., O’Toole P.W., Öhman L, Claesson M.J., Deane J, Quigley E.M.M.,

Simrén M. Pyrosequencing reveals irritable bowel syndrome subtype defined by

species-specific alterations in the Microbial gut environment. Oral presentation.

Digestive Disease Week, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, May 7 - May 10, 2011

51. Marchesi J. "Can we implement a systems biology approach to understand the gut

microbiota?" May 2011, Birmingham University.

52. Claesson et al. Comparison of two next-generation sequencing technologies for

resolving highly complex microbiota composition using tandem variable 16S rRNA

gene regions. (poster and oral presentations). Applied Bioinformatics and Public

15

Health Microbiology Conference. 1-3 June 2011, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus,

Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.

53. O'Connor E.M., Fitzgerald G.F., O’ Toole P.W. Gender differences in folate status

are associated with cognition in healthy Irish elderly adults. Nutrition Society

Summer Meeting with American Nutrition Society, Cork, Ireland, June 15th – 18th

2011. Poster Presentation.

54. Power S.E., O’ Toole P.W., O'Connor E.M., Fitzgerald G.F. Compliance with Irish food

based dietary guidelines in community dwelling elderly subjects (The ELDERMET

project). Nutrition Society Summer Meeting with American Nutrition Society, Cork,

Ireland, June 15th – 18th 2011. Poster Presentation.

55. Jeffery I.B., O’Toole P.W., Öhman L, Claesson M.J., Deane J, Quigley E.M.M.,

Simrén M An Irritable Bowel Syndrome subtype defined by species-specific

alterations in fecal microbiota. Microbial community profiling meeting. Accepted for

oral presentation. Microbial community profiling workshop, Wellcome Collection,

central London, 20 June, 2011.

56. O’Toole, P.W. Evolution of strain-specific host interaction traits in commensal

lactobacilli. FASEB Summer Research Conference “Probiotics, Intestinal Microbiota

and the Host: Physiological and Clinical Implications”. July 24 – 29, 2011, Carefree,

Arizona, USA. Invited plenary presentation.

57. Laks, B., Guinane, C., O’Connor, P., Coakley, M., Hill, C., Stanton, C., O’Toole, P.W. and

Ross, R.P. (2011) The ELDERMET BIOBANK: Characterisation of bacteriocin

producing bacteria from the intestinal microbiota of elderly Irish subjects.

Abstract/Poster at LAB10 (Tenth Symposium on Lactic Acid Bacteria). Egmond aan

Zee, the Netherlands. 28th Aug.-1st Sept. 2011.

58. O’Toole, P.W. Origin and evolution in the Lactobacillus salivarius clade. LAB10 Lactic

Acid Bacterial meeting, Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands, August 31- September 3

2011. Invited plenary presentation.

59. Ross R.P. Overview of the ELDERMET project. Glycoscience Ireland Conference,

Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland. 21st October, 2011.

60. Jeffery I.B., O’Toole P.W., Öhman L, Claesson M.J., Deane J, Quigley E.M.M.,

Simrén M An Irritable Bowel Syndrome subtype defined by species-specific

alterations in fecal microbiota. Microbial community profiling meeting. Accepted for

oral presentation. United European Gastroenterology Week, Stockholm, October

22-26th 2011.

61. Marchesi J. “Why should we care about what's going on in our gut: integrating the

microbiome into host biology?" Oct 28th, Nottingham University, Nottingham, UK.

62. Egan P.E., O’Connor E.M., Conde S, Fitzgerald A, Fitzgerald G.F., O'Toole P.W.

Associations between polypharmacy, nutritional status and functional ability in

elderly Irish subjects in long term care (The ELDERMET project) 11th Annual

Nursing and Midwifery Research Conference, University College Cork, Ireland, Nov

4th 2011. Poster presentation.

63. Power S.E., O'Toole P.W., O’Connor E.M., Fitzgerald G.F., on behalf of the EM

consortium. Compliance with Irish food based dietary guidelines in elderly subjects

recruited from rehabilitation wards and out-patient clinics in Southern region

hospitals (The ELDERMET project) 11th Annual Nursing and Midwifery Research

Conference, University College Cork, Ireland, Nov 4th 2011. Poster presentation.

16

64. Claesson M.J. “Comparison of Illumina and Pyrosequencing Technologies for

Resolving Microbiota Composition Using Tandem Variable 16S rRNA Gene Regions”.

3rd Annual Next Generation Sequencing Congress 14-15th Nov 2011, London, UK.

65. Marchesi J. “The impact of NGS on understanding superorganism biology at Human

Metagenomics Track” - 3rd Annual Next Generation Sequencing Congress, 14-15th

Nov 2011, London, UK

66. Bantry-White E. Ni Laoire C. O'Connor E., Cusack S. & Haun Y. Wills T. (2011) Age,

Income and Food in Ireland: A study of the socio-economic influences of food

expenditure amongst community dwelling older people in Ireland CARDI

International Research Conference

67. Jeffery I.B. , Claesson M.J., Harris H, Power S.E., O'Connor E.M., O’Toole P.W.

Microbial diversity is highly correlated with the Healthy Food Diversity Index.

International Human Microbiome Congress, Palais Brongniart, Paris, 19-21 March,

2012. Poster presentation.

68. Power S.E., O'Connor E.M., Jeffery I.B., O'Toole P.W., Fitzgerald G.F. Gender

differences in food intake among Irish community-dwelling elderly subjects: The

ELDERMET project. Proc. Of Nutr. Soc. (2012) 71 (OCE2), E152. Poster

presentation.

69. Power S.E., O'Toole P.W., O'Connor E.M., Fitzgerald G.F. Compliance with Irish

food-based dietary guidelines in elderly subjects recruited from rehabilitation

wards and out-patient clinics in Southern region hospitals (The ELDERMET

project). Proc. Of Nutr. Soc. (2012) 71 (OCE2), E153. Poster presentation.

70. O'Connor E.M, Power S.E., Fitzgerald G.F., O'Toole P.W. Fish-oil consumption is

inversely correlated with depression and cognition decline in healthy Irish elderly

adults. Proc. Of Nutr. Soc. (2012) 71 (OCE2), E151. Poster presentation.

71. Hill, C. Probiotic control of infection: Mechanisms of action. Probiotic Association

of India, Delhi, India. August 28, 2012. Oral presentation

72. O'Connor E.M., O'Toole P.W. Health and Disease Incidence in Irish, Elderly

Community-Dwelling Subjects: Baseline Findings from the ELDERMET project. The

60th Irish Gerontological Society meeting 14-15th Sept, Cork. Poster presentation.

73. Power S.E. O'Toole P.W., O’Connor E.M., Fitzgerald G.F. Compliance to Food Pyramid

guidelines in Irish community dwelling elderly subjects (The ELDERMET project).

The 8th Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine conference, 26th-28th Sept,

Brussels, Belgium. Poster presentation

74. O’Connor E.M and O’Toole P.W (2012) Health and disease incidence in Irish, Elderly

Subjects: Baseline findings from the ELDERMET project. The 8th Congress of the

European Geriatric Medicine conference, 26th-28th Sept, Brussels, Belgium. Poster

presentation

75. Egan P.E., O'Connor E.M., Conde S, Fitzgerald A.P., O'Toole P.W. Associations

between Polypharmacy, Functional ability and Nutritional status in elderly Irish

subjects in long-term care (the ELDERMET project). European Geriatric Medicine

O061. 3S (2012) S1-S32. The 8th Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine

conference, 26th-28th Sept, Brussels, Belgium. Oral presentation by E.M. O’Connor.

76. Claesson M.J. Gut microbiota, diet and health in the elderly population. 10th

Meeting of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics.

River Lee Hotel and University College Cork Cork. October 1-3, 2012. Oral

presentation

17

77. Claesson M.J., O’Toole P.W. Diet driven changes in the elderly microbiota. Use of

pro/prebiotics to improve health status of the malnourished elderly. ISAPP

discussion group 4 October 2012, Cork. Oral presentation.

78. Claesson M.J. Gut Microbiota, Diet and Health in the Elderly Population. 4th Annual

Next Generation Sequencing Congress, Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow,

London. November 15-16th, 2012. Oral presentation.

79. O’Toole, P.W. 2012. Diet-health-microbiota interactions in older persons - the

ELDERMET study. International Human Microbiome Congress. Palais. Brongniart,

Paris, France, March 19-21 2012. Invited oral presentation.

80. O’Toole, P.W. 2012. Diet-health-microbiota interactions in older persons - the

ELDERMET study. Host-microbes Cross-Talk: from animal models to human

patients. University of Oslo, Norway, March 12-13, 2012. Invited oral presentation.

81. Jeffery I.B. , Claesson M.J., Harris H, Power S.E., O'Connor E.M., and O’Toole P.W.

on behalf of The ELDERMET Consortium. Microbial diversity is highly correlated

with the Healthy Food Diversity Index. International Human Microbiome Congress,

Palais Brongniart, Paris, 19-21 March, 2012. Poster presentation.

82. O’Toole, P.W. Food interventions in the older adult. APC/Teagasc/Enterprise

Ireland Symposium: Clinical trials for foods and supplements – guidance for

industry. Thomond Park Conference Centre, Limerick, Ireland, September 28, 2012.

Oral presentation.

83. Jeffery I.B., Claesson, M.J., S. Conde, S. E. Power, E. M. O’Connor, S. Cusack, H.

Harris, M. Coakley, B. Lakshminarayanan, O. O’Sullivan, G. F. Fitzgerald, J. Deane, M.

O’Connor, N. Harnedy, K. O’Connor, D. O’Mahony, D. van Sinderen, M. Wallace, L.

Brennan, C. Stanton, J R. Marchesi, A. P. Fitzgerald, F. Shanahan, C. Hill, R. P. Ross,

and P. W. O’Toole. 2012. Diet determines gut microbiota in the elderly which

correlates with health. The Virtual Institute of Bioinformatics (Eire), National

Botanical Gardens auditorium, Glasnevin, Dublin. November 2012. Oral presentation.

84. Cudmore S. (Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre & CEO Atlantia Food CRO, UCC) Food

vs Pharma – who is dominating the PARNUTS market (PARNUTS = foods for

particular nutritional purposes). Conference: Advancements in Food and Beverage

Clinical Trials; Oct 16-17 2012; Hamburg, Germany. Oral presentation featuring

Eldermet information and it’s applicability to the area of elderly health for the

development of Medical Foods.

85. O'Sullivan O, Coakley M, Lakshminarayanan B, Claesson M.J., Cusack S, Conde S,

Fitzgerald A.P., O'Toole P.W., Stanton C, Ross R.P. “Alterations in intestinal

microbiota of elderly Irish subjects post antibiotic therapy”. Gut-Microbiology

Rowett-INRA Conference 2012. Clermont-Ferrand, France. 17-20 June, 2012.

86. O'Sullivan O, Coakley M, Lakshminarayanan B, Claesson M.J, Cusack S, Conde S,

Fitzgerald A.P., O'Toole P.W., Stanton C, Ross R.P. “Alterations in intestinal

microbiota of elderly Irish subjects post antibiotic therapy”. 11th European

Conference on Computational Biology. Basel, Switzerland. 9-12 September, 2012.

87. O'Sullivan O, Coakley M, Lakshminarayanan B, Claesson M.J., Cusack S, Conde S,

Fitzgerald A.P., O'Toole P.W., Stanton C, Ross R.P. “Alterations in intestinal

microbiota of elderly Irish subjects post antibiotic therapy”. The 3rd Conference

on Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics in Modern Medicine. Belfast, Northern

Ireland. 19-21 September, 2012.

18

88. Bantry-White E. Ni Laoire C. O'Connor E., Cusack S. & Haun Y. Wills T. (2011) Age,

Income and Food in Ireland: A study of the socio-economic influences of food

expenditure amongst community dwelling older people in Ireland CARDI

International Research

89. Wills T., Bantry-White E., Ni Laoire C., O'Connor E., Cusack S., Huan Y (2011) Age,

Income and Food in Ireland: A study of the socio-economic influences of food

expenditure amongst community dwelling older people in Ireland RCSI International

Research Conference, Trinity College

90. O’Toole, PW (2013). Technologies to investigate the human gut microbiota. 2nd

World Summit Gut Microbiota for Health, Madrid, 24th – 26th February 2013.

91. O’ Toole, PW (2013). The Human Microbiome: overdue recognition for our fellow

travellers, SGM Spring Conference, Manchester 25th -28th March 2013

92. Ian Jeffery. Irritable Bowel Syndrome subtypes defined by species-specific

alterations in fecal microbiota. The 7th International Yakult Symposium: The

Intestinal Microbiota and Probiotics: Exploiting Their Influence on Health. The

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre London, The United Kingdom April 22nd -

23rd, 2013 (Poster presentation)

93. O’Toole, PW (2013). Diet-health-microbiota correlations in older persons - the

ELDERMET study. 7th International Yakult Symposium, London, UK. April 22nd,

2013. Invited plenary lecture.

94. O'Sullivan, Ó., Lynch, D.B., Coakley, M., Jeffery, I.B., O'Toole, P.W., Stanton, C.

and Ross, R.P. (2013) Temporal stability of the intestinal microbiota post antibiotic

therapy in elderly Irish subjects. Cell Symposia: Microbiome and Host Health.

Lisbon, Portugal. 12th-14th May, 2013. (Poster presentation)

95. Jeffery, IB (2013). Diet-microbiota interactions and their implications for healthy

ageing. 3rd International Conference on Foodomics, Cesena, Italy, 22nd-24th May

2013.

96. Jeffery, IB (2013). Microbiome and elderly nutrition. Group: Evidence of probiotic

and prebiotic benefits to public health - scientific and regulatory needs. Chairs:

Mary Ellen Sanders, Seppo Salminen and Irene Lenoir-Wijnkoop. 11th Meeting of

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics In

Collaboration with The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Sciences and The New York

Academy of Sciences (The Academy). 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich St,

40th Fl, New York, NY. June 12th-14th, 2013. Invited expert.

97. Ross, P (2013). The Science of Translation, 11th Annual Meeting of ISAPP June

12th-14th, 2013, New York City. Invited participant.

98. Dinan, T (2013). Influence of neurochemical-producing probiotics and the

microbiome on the brain and its function including behaviour Probiotics, Prebiotics

and the Host Microbiome: The Science of Translation, 11th Annual Meeting of

ISAPP June 12th-14th, 2013, New York City

99. Ross, P (2013). “Bugs on the Brain! Role of our microbiota at the extremes of life”.

Presentation at 42nd Annual Food Research Conference, Teagasc Food Research

Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland. 27-28 June 2013.

100. Ross, P (2013). “Bugs on the Brain! Role of our microbiota at the extremes of life”.

University of Oslo, Norway. 31st June 2013. Invited speaker.

19

101. Ross, P (2013). A galaxy within us: opportunities to shape our gut microbiota

through diet and Bacteriocin production as a probiotic trait. NZIFST Conference

2013. Hastings, New Zealand. 2th-4th July 2013. Invited speaker.

102. O’Toole, PW (2013). Gut microbiota: core composition and function in health and

aging. July 24th 2013. Gordon Research Conference on Microbial Adhesion and

Signal Transduction; Salve Regina University; Newport, RI, USA. Invited plenary

talk.

103. Jeffery, IB (2013). Diet-Microbiota Interactions and The Elderly. NIH Human

Microbiome Science: A Vision for the Future. Bethesda, MD , USA, July 24th-26th,

2013.

104. O’Toole, PW (2013). Microbiome and aging. 15th International Congress of

Immunology, Satellite session 3: - Aging and the immune system. Milan, Italy,

August 20th 2013.

105. O’Toole, PW (2013). Diet-health-microbiota correlations in older persons - the

ELDERMET study. The Society for General Microbiology, Irish Division Autumn

Meeting: Gut microbes – friend, or foe? University of Ulster, Coleraine. Thurs 29th

– Fri 30th August, 2013.

106. Jeffery, IB (2013) on behalf of The ELDERMET Consortium. Changes in the

microbiota during ageing. Keynote speaker Invitation British Society for Research

on Ageing. University of East Anglia, Norwich, September 2nd – 4th, 2013. Keynote

speaker.

107. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Diet and microbiota in elderly. 7th Probiotics, Prebiotics &

New Foods. Università Urbaniana, Rome 8th -10th September 2013

108. O’Toole, PW (2013). Diet-microbiota-health interactions in older persons - the

ELDERMET study and probing causality in the NuAge project. IUNS 20th

International Congress of Nutrition, Granada (Spain), September 15th – 20th , 2013.

109. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Diet-microbiota-health interactions in older subjects. SFRR

- Europe 2013 Meeting “The new era of -omics in Free Radicals in Biology and

Medicine, Athens Greece, September 23th -25th, 2013

110. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Diet-microbiota-health interactions in older persons. 8th

Annual International Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics

(ITMAT) Symposium, Harnessing the Paradox: Personalization and the Science of

Scale. Philadelphia, USA, October 14th – 15th, 2013.

111. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Gut bacterium-host interactions; from big picture to little

picture. The 6th Annual Meeting of The Irish Epithelial Physiology Group (IEPG).

Kilkenny, October 24th - 25th 2013.

112. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Gut microbiota and health in elderly subjects – a role for

probiotics? Probio 2013. Centre Mont-Royal, Montreal, Canada, October 30th-31st,

2013.

113. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Diet-microbiota-health interactions in older persons: the

ELDERMET study EFFoST Annual Meeting, Bologna, Italy, 12th-15th November

2013

114. Ross, P (2013). A galaxy within us: role of the gut microbiota in nutrition, health

and disease”. 64th Congress of the Hellenic Society for Biochemistry and Molecular

Biology. Athens, Greece. 6th-8th December 2013.

20

115. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Gut microbiota in older subjects: variation, causes and health consequences. Nutrition Society Winter Meeting 2013. Diet, Gut Microbiology and

Human Health. RCS, London, London UK, 11th-12th December 2013.

116. Stanton, C (2013). Microbial metabolite production by gut microbes and

implications for host health. Nutrition Society Winter Meeting 2013. Diet, Gut

Microbiology and Human Health. London, RCS, London UK, 11th-12th December 2013.

(h) National Report

None to date

(i) Popular non-scientific publications

1. Inside / Out; Volume 1, 2008; APC newsletter to the patient and medical

community.

2. Moorepark News. ELDERMET: ‘Gut health for the elderly’. Issue 25. Autumn 2008.

3. "Coordinated Global Effort to Investigate Role of Microbes in Human Health and

Disease". Innovations Report. October 17th, 2008. http://www.innovations-

report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/researchers_establish_international_huma

n_microbiome_120457.html

4. "Coordinated Global Effort to Investigate Role of Microbes in Human Health and

Disease" National Human Genome Research Institute. October 16th, 2008.

http://www.genome.gov/pfv.cfm?pageID=27528490

5. "Coordinated Global Effort to Investigate Role of Microbes in Human Health and

Disease" NIH News. October 16th, 2008.

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/oct2008/nhgri-16.htm

6. "Seminars put positive spotlight on ageing" Evening Echo. October 12th, 2009

7. "Healthy Ever After" Irish Examiner Feel Good, November 13th, 2009

8. ‘Food innovation in the knowledge economy’. Morepark food research publication

9. Progurt news – ‘Study into impact of gut microbes on disease in elderly’.

Http://www.progurt.com/_blog/Progurt_News/post

10. Gut Reaction - 'Taking a fresh look at gut bacteria' Volume 6, No. 1, Summer 2010

11. The Avondhu (newspaper), Thursday, April 1st, 2010 (pg. 52). News brief.

12. CARDI - a picture of ageing research (pg 32 - 33). October 2010.

13. “Investigating bacteriocins as potential therapeutics for the control of Clostridium difficile” PhD Thesis presented by Mary Rea, March 2011.

14. Moorepark News. ‘Moorepark involved in research to help elderly’. Issue 34. Winter

2012.

15. O’Connor E.M. on behalf of the ELDERMET consortium ‘Clinical trials for foods and

supplements – guidance for industry’ Symposium, Thomond Park, Limerick, 28th

September 2012. Conference Report (submitted British Nutrition Foundation)

16. Bantry-White E., Ni Laoire C., Wills, T., O'Connor E., Cusack S. & Huan Y.; (2011)

Age, Income and Food in Ireland: A study of the socio-economic influences of food

expenditure amongst community-dwelling older people in Ireland. Centre for Ageing

Research and Developments in Ireland, Belfast.

17. Mills S., Stanton C., Ross P., O’Toole P.W., Shanahan F., Hill C., & Fitzgerald G. Gut

health in the elderly. TResearch; Research and Innovation news at Teagasc. Winter

2007. Vol. 2, No. 4. 9-11.

21

18. ELDERMET: Gut health for the Elderly. Moorepark News. Issue 25, autumn 2008.

19. ‘Long Life – Good Health’. UCC News, November, 2008.

20. Irish Medical Times, 18th September, 2008.

21. ‘Cork Project to Benefit Older People’. Cork Independent News, 18th, September,

2008.

22. “Let’s invest in our elderly for a better future for all”. Evening Echo, 8th January,

2008.

23. "ELDERMET project demonstrated" Today's Farm - July - August 2009 Volume 20

Number 4, page 8

24. "Older Volunteers Needed" TResearch. Vol. 3, No. 4, winter, 2008. Page 4.

25. "Targeted Research" Irish Food - Ingredients Edition, 2008. Page 29.Moorepark

Food Research - Food Innovation in the Knowledge Economy. Pages 8, 10. Teagasc

publications, 2009

26. “ELDERMET Project demonstrated” Article in Today’s Farm, Teagasc publication.

July / August 2009. Page 8.

27. "The inside story of good health" Senior Times, Issue 41, August / September

2009

28. “ELDERMET: gut health for the elderly” Update article in the Moorepark News,

Issue 28, Winter 2009.

29. "Nutrition for the older adult - eat healthily to age healthily". In: A guide to

nutrition for seniors. Home Instead Senior Care, 2011.

30. "Nutritional health for the family caregiver" IN: Senior Care Connections. Home

Instead Senior Care, August 2010. (http://www.homeinstead.ie/mor_details/10-

08-06/Nutrition_for_the_older_adult_-_eat_healthily_to_age-healthily.aspx).

31. UCC Echo Diary “New study focuses on improving diet and health in the elderly”

February 28th, 2011

32. Irish Examiner Feel Good, “Elderly to benefit from research project–ELDERMET”

March 4th, 2011

33. Irish Times-Health “Health Board” March 8th, 2011

34. Cork Independent – Health and beauty, “Bacteria battle” September 29th, 2011.

35. http://healthfinder.gov/News/newsstory.aspx?docid=666682

36. http://www.ivillage.com/gut-microbes-might-reflect-health-diet-older-adults/4-a-

472706

37. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0714/1224320063665.html

38. http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2012/july/title,64022,en.html

39. http://health-nutrition-fitness.net/health-fitness-and-nutrition/gut-microbes-

might-reflect-health-diet-of-older-adults/2012/07/14

40. http://dietawellness.com/gut-microbes-might-reflect-health-diet-of-older-adults-

2/

41. http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/0714/business/food-companies-

urged-to-take-advantage-of-research-on-diet-200701.html

42. http://news.yahoo.com/gut-microbes-might-reflect-health-diet-older-adults-

180414846.html

43. http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/news.aspx?ID=666682/2012/07/14

44. http://www.ucc.ie/en/news/summary-161395-en.html

45. http://www.energeticforum.com/psychic-paranormal/8143-brain-advanced-fractal-

antenna-88.html

22

46. http://selfhelp4success.com/blog/health-gut-microbes-might-reflect-health-diet-

of-older-adults/2012/07/14

47. http://donieconwayaddress.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/

48. http://www.ucc.ie/research/apc/content/news_events/news/News62.html

49. irish farmers journal – gut feeling – article on Nature publication 07/08/12

50. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2012/0717/1224320247818.html

51. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2012/0731/1224321149188.html

52. http://humanfoodproject.com/what-can-a-100-year-old-irish-grandmother-teach-

us-about-school-lunches/

53. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22064-old-folks-stomach-bacteria-are-

secret-to-their-hea http://kunc.org/post/thriving-gut-bacteria-linked-good-

healthlth.html/2012/07/14

54. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=160268/2012/07/14

55. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/jul/16/thriving-gut-bacteria-linked-good-health/

56. http://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/news/irish-researchers-link-gut-bacteria-

healthy-aging/2012/07/14

57. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/13/news/la-heb-gut-bacteria-elderly-

20120713

58. http://healthmaven.blogspot.ie/2012/07/thriving-gut-bacteria-linked-to-good.html

59. http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/07/16/diverse-gut-bacteria-key-for-good-

health/

60. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2174567/Are-tummy-bugs-secret-long-

life.html

61. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/16/156745291/thriving-gut-bacteria-

linked-to-good-health

62. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_127222.html/2012/07/14

63. http://beforeitsnews.com/health/2012/07/you-become-what-you-eat-

2392167.html

64. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002959913http://www.publichealthnews

wire.org/?p=4366/2012/07/14

65. http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/a-good-word-for-grub-in-effect/

66. http://lewrockwell.com/mercola/mercola219.html

67. http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/Health/20120717/2025311.html/2012

/07/14

68. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-25/health/32713216_1_bugs-

fatty-foods-diet

69. http://www.mcknights.com/gut-health-linked-to-frailty-in-the-elderly-research-

finds/article/250472/

70. http://www.womenshealth.gov/news/headlines/666682.cfm

71. http://www.naturecity.com/blog/probiotics/variety-gut-bacteria-healthy-aging/

72. Hughes. ‘Cultural differences – studies of gut bacteria are beginning to untangle

how diet affects health in old age – but determining cause and effect is tricky’.

Nature Perspective – Aging S14 Nature Vol 492. 6 Dec 2012.

73. Prof. Fergus Shanahan ELDERMET PI spoke to Derek Mooney on the ‘Mooney Goes

Wild’ radio show on RTE Radio One on ‘How to Make Bacteria Beneficial.’ In this live

interview, aired 15.30-16.00pm 14th Dec 2012 Prof. Shanahan spoke extensively

23

about ELDERMET and the Nature paper findings

http://www.rte.ie/radio/mooneygoeswild/fp2012/dec14.html

74. Diet-microbiota interactions and their implications for healthy living Vector E-

Newsletter, Issue 2, March 2013

75. Microbiota project seeks answers to better elderly nutrition 3rd June, 2013

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Microbiota-project-seeks-answers-to-

better-elderly-nutrition

76. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Gut microbial changes in later life: Correlations between diet,

health and microbiota. Probiotic Bulletin Issue 19, August 2013

http://hcp.yakult.ie/files/1513/7588/0861/19August2013PB_Elderly_IE.pdf?agrec

id=Hqo

77. Ross, P (2013). A galaxy within us our gut microbiota and how it can be programmed

by food. tResearch Teagasc newsletter Autumn/Winter issue 2013, 8(3): 24-25.

http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/tresearch/index.asp

78. Coakley, M (2013). ELDERMET and ELDERFOOD. tResearch Teagasc newsletter

Autumn/Winter issue 2013, 8(3): 24-25.

http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/tresearch/index.asp

79. O’ Sullivan, O (2013). Antibiotic therapy and gut microbes. tResearch Teagasc

newsletter Autumn/Winter issue 2013, 8(3): 24-25.

http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/tresearch/index.asp

80. Ian Jeffery (2013). Gut microbes in for the long haul by Claire Conway, Science

Communication, The Irish Times, published 11th July 2013.

81. Paul Ross (2013). You are what you eat: The link between diet, your gut and health

problems. Independent, 22nd October 2013.

http://www.independent.ie/business/farming/you-are-what-you-eat-the-link-

between-diet-your-gut-and-health-problems-29677951.html

82. Paul Ross (2013). Our gut microbiota and how it can be programmed by food. The

Avondhu published 11th November 2013.

http://www.avondhupress.ie/20131111/news/our-gut-microbiota-and-how-it-can-be-

programmed-by-food-S45722.html

83. Paul O'Toole interviewed by Sam Barry for local radio - Newsline 100.5, broadcast

on Sunday 25th January 6.30pm

84. Paul O’ Toole featured on the Dara O’ Briain’s Science Club, Invisible Worlds,

Episode 6, Series 2 BBC 2, broadcast 29th August 2013

85. Paul O’ Toole interview by Gut Microbiota Worldwatch, 29th October, 2013.

http://www.gutmicrobiotawatch.org/2013/10/

86. Paul O’ Toole, interviewed by BBC Radio 4 Frontiers programme as part of a

documentary on gut microbiota broadcast 13th November 2013.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03h429g

87. Paul O’ Toole BBC 4 Frontiers interview broadcast on the BBC World Service on

25th November in the Discovery slot

88. Paul O’ Toole interviewed by Andrew Anthony for The Guardian (2014).

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/11/gut-biology-health-bacteria-

future-medicine

(j) Workshops/seminars at which results were presented (excluding those in (g))

24

1. O’Toole, P.W. Genes, Microbes and Food: New insights and human health

implications. Public Lecture; Public Understanding of Science Winter Lecture

Series, Univ. College Cork, March 26th 2008.

2. Ross, P. “Opportunities for the Development of Functional Foods in Ireland”.

Workshop: New Technologies and Future Food Development. University College

Cork. September 16th, 2009.

3. Sackler Colloquium Microbes and Health November 3rd, 2009. Presentation: “Gut microbiota of the elderly: The ELDERMET consortium

(http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageNavigator/Sackler/Current%20Sackler%20coll

oquia/Microbes%20and%20Health/SACKLER_Microbes_and_Health_program)

4. Ross, P. “Microbes Benefiting Human Health”. Public forum: Microbes and Mankind

– How Bacteria and Viruses Shape Humanity. University College Cork. November

12th, 2009.

5. O’Toole, P.W. “Gut Microbiota Profiling in Elderly Irish Subjects”. Next

Generation Sequencing Workshop. University of Birmingham and the Infectious

Disease Research Network. December 10th – 11th, 2009.

6. O'Toole et al. Molecular characterisation of host interaction mechanisms with

commensal bacteria" Rowett Research Institute Seminar, Rowett Institute,

Aberdeen, Scotland. January 18th, 2010.

7. O’Toole, P.W. Culture-independent determination of the intestinal microbiota in

elderly subjects. INRA Clermont - Centre de Clermont-Ferrand-Theix, France.

March 28th 2011. Invited lecture.

8. ELDERMET Information and Recruitment Stand at the Teagasc-run Irish Dairying

Open Day (Planning for 2015). 29th June, 2011. Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co.

Cork

9. Senior Times show, Cork City Hall, May 14th / 15th May, 2011

10. Marchesi J. “Integrating the human microbiome into host biology: a new challenge

for clinicians”, 17th Nov 2011, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff,

Wales.

11. Ross R.P. Overview of the ELDERMET project. Dairy Seminar, Listowel Food Fair,

Listowel, Co. Kerry. 4th November, 2011.

12. O’Toole, P.W. Diet-health-microbiota interactions in older persons - the ELDERMET

study. National Institute on Aging: Microbiome and aging workshop NIA Gateway

Building, Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD. July 26, 2012. Invited lecture.

13. O’Toole, P.W. Diet-health-microbiota interactions in older persons - the ELDERMET

study. Implication of nutrition and gut microbiota on health. KBBE Food and Health

Theme – Workshop, 10-12 September 2012, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Invited lecture.

14. O’Toole, P.W. Gut microbiota in health, disease and aging. Institute of Food

Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich, September 21st 2012. Invited

lecture.

15. Claesson M.J. Gut microbiota and its links to diet and health in the elderly Irish

population. Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre Research Seminar, BSI Seminar Room,

UCC. November 27th, 2012. Oral presentation.

16. O’Toole, P.W. Gut microbiota in health, disease and aging. 10th International

Workshop on Pathogenesis and Host Response in Helicobacter Infections,

Konventum Helsingør, Denmark, July 6, 2012. Invited plenary presentation.

25

17. O'Sullivan O on behalf of the ELDERMET consortium. “Gut microbiota composition

correlates with diet and health in the elderly”. Teagasc International Scientific

Advisory Board meeting, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland. 30 October, 2012.

18. Ross, P (2013). “The Future of Food Conference”. Reaseheath College, Nantwich,

Cheshire, United Kingdom. 14th March 2013. Invited speaker

19. O’Toole, PW (2013). Healthier aging: the role of diet and gut bacteria. April 16th

2013. FBBVA seminar, Bilbao, Spain. Invited seminar. http://vimeo.com/65626598

20. Stanton, C (2013). Invited speaker: Jianghnan University, Wuxi, China 8th May,

2013.

21. O’Toole, PW (2013). Gut microbiota changes in older people – causes and

consequences. DFG science camp 2013 | Kloster Seeon, Munich, Germany. Plenary

Invited lecture. May 2013.

22. O’Toole, PW (2013). Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease. Avison Biomedical

Symposium, May 31st, 2013 Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul, Korea.

Invited plenary seminar.

23. O’Toole, PW (2013). Diet-microbiota interactions and healthy aging. Avison

Biomedical Symposium satellite workshop, June 1st, 2013 Yonsei University College

of Medicine Seoul, Korea. Invited seminar.

24. O’Toole, PW (2013). Role of the human microbiome in health, disease and healthy

aging. Advances in Genomics Research. Master Class, Erasmus Medical Centre

Summer Programme, August 22nd 2013, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

25. O’Toole, PW (2013). Selection of subjects for metagenomics analyses in large

dietary intervention studies. September 20th 2013. Second Annual Meeting, The

NuAge (FP7) Consortium, 20th-21st September 2013, Granada – Spain

26. Stanton, C (2013). Invited Speaker: IDF WDS, Yokahama, Japan. 31 Oct. 2013.

27. O’Connor, Eibhlís (2013). ‘Overview of Nutrition Related Research Areas’. The

Sixth Annual Medical School Research Forum, Graduate Entry Medical School,

University of Limerick. Wed 16th Jan 2013.

28. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Role of diet and gut bacteria, UCC College of SEFS Public

Lecture Series. Healthier Aging:, Professor Paul O’Toole ,30th January 2013.

29. O’Toole, PW (2013). Diet-intestinal microbiota-health interactions in aging. Clinical

Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin, St James's Hospital Campus. Invited seminar.

30. O’ Toole, PW (2013). Diet-health-microbiota interactions in older persons - the

ELDERMET study. Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism 2nd Scientific

Conference, 5th -6th March, IrSPEN, Dublin.

31. Eldermet project update presented to management staff in St. Luke’s Home,

Mahon, Cork, in March.

32. Eldermet project update presented to management staff in St. Patrick’s

Marymount, Curraheen, Co. Cork in March.

33. O’Toole, PW (2013). Diet-gut bacteria-health interactions in older consumers: new

opportunities for food companies. Bord Bia Healthy Ageing seminar, Bord Bia,

Clanwilliam Court, Mount Street Dublin, May 22nd 2013. Invited plenary seminar.

34. Ross, P (2013). Speaker at APC of Science & Launch of Next Phase, UCC. 21st June

2013.

26

35. Stanton, C (2013). Speaker: APC Celebration of Science & Launch of Next Phase,

UCC. 21st June 2013.

36. O’Toole, PW (2013). Gut Microbiota in Health, Disease and Ageing. Research into

Practice - Evidence Based Medicine: Interpreting the Literature. The Centre for

Gerontology and Rehabilitation (CGR), School of Medicine, UCC, in association with

the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and HRB Clinical Research Facilities (CRF),

Cork and Galway. Brookfield Health Science Complex, UCC, 3rd July 2013.

37. Dinan, T (2013) Brain-Gut-Microbiota Axis: Implications for Brain Development and

Dysfunction. Research into Practice - Evidence Based Medicine: Interpreting the

Literature. The Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation (CGR), School of

Medicine, UCC, in association with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and HRB

Clinical Research Facilities (CRF), Cork and Galway. Brookfield Health Science

Complex, UCC, 3rd July 2013.

38. Ross, P (2013). Research and development for the expanding Irish dairy

industry. Fonterra Research Centre, New Zealand. 9th July 2013. Invited speaker.

39. Eldermet project update presented to management staff in Farranlea House

Community Nursing Unit, Farranlea Road, Cork in August.

40. Eldermet project update presented to management staff in Heather House

Community Nursing Unit, Gurranbraher, Cork, in August.

41. Eldermet project update presented to management staff in Haven Bay Care Centre,

Kinsale, Co. Cork in August.

42. Stanton, C (2013). Invited Speaker: Young Life Scientists Symposium, UCC, 11th

Sept, 2013.

43. Eldermet project update presented to nursing staff in St. Luke’s Home, Mahon,

Cork in September.

44. Eldermet project update presented to nursing staff in Farranlea House Community

Nursing Unit, Farranlea Road, Cork in September.

45. Ross, P (2013). Nutraceuticals: milk components and the health industry. Global

500 Dairy and Beef Conference. Dublin, Ireland. 2nd -3rd October 2013. Invited

speaker

46. Eldermet project update presented to nursing staff in Haven Bay Care Centre,

Kinsale, Co. Cork in November 2013.

47. Eldermet project update presented to management & clinical staff in St. Finbarr’s

Hospital, Cork in November 2013.

48. Eldermet project update presented to Prinicipal Investigators from the Centre of

Gerontology & Rehabilitation, UCC in December 2013.

49. Eldermet project update presented to nursing staff in St. Patrick’s Marymount,

Curraheen, Co. Cork in December 2013.

50. Eldermet project update presented to management staff in Nazareth House,

Mallow, Co. Cork, in December 2013.

27

7. Permanent Researchers

Institution Name Number of

Permanent staff

contributing to

project

Total Time

contribution

(months)

Average time

contribution per

permanent staff

member

University College

Cork

Moorepark Food

Research Centre

14

5

46.92

11.06

3.35

2.21

Total 19 57.98 5.56

8. Researchers Funded by FIRM

Type of Researcher Number Total Time

contribution

(months)

Average time

Post Doctorates 6 134.68 22.45

Contract Researchers 16 300.10 18.76

PhD postgraduates 2 57.00 28.50

Temporary researcher 3 15.50 5.17

Total 27 507.28 74.87

9. Postgraduate Research

Total Number of PhD theses: __2__

Please include authors, institutions and titles of theses and submission dates. If not

submitted please give the anticipated submission date

Susan Eleanor Power: A study of diet and health in the elderly: the gut microbiota as a

source of bioactive agents, National University of Ireland Cork, 2013.

Susan was awarded an IRCSET/industry partnership award and worked alongside the

ELDERMET project to prepare and analyse nutritional date from the project at no cost to

the budget. ELDERMET/DAFM was acknowledged in her publications.

28

Bhuvaneswari Laksminarayanan: The ELDERMET Biobank: isolation and characterization of

intestinal microbiota from elderly Irish subjects, National University of Ireland Cork,

2014.

Total Number of Masters theses: __0__

10. Involvement in Food Graduate Development Programme

Name of Postgraduate / contract

researcher

Names of modules attended

Note: Two ELDERMET PIs, Prof. Ger Fitzgerald and Prof. Colin Hill, established a

new module for the Agri Food Development Programme entitled “Hygiene

Management and Food Safety in the Food Industry”

The student salaried by ELDERMET did not enrol in any FGDP modules as she was

based out in Moorepark.

11. Project Expenditure

Total expenditure of the project: €4,671,089

Total Award by FIRM €4,846,490

Other sources of funding (specify) €0

Breakdown of Total Expenditure

Category UCC

€

MRFC

€

Total

€

Contract staff 1,817,782 298,805 2,116,587

Students 16,931 82,154 99,085

Consumables 173,646 215,338 388,984

Travel and subsistence 35,998 13,015 49,013

Sub total 2,044,357 609,313 2,653,669

Durable equipment 72,405 86,967 159,372

Other:

Couriers 34,124 - 34,124

Sequencing

Overheads

550,233

513,590

612,530

147,569

1,162,763

661,160

Total 3,214,709 1,456,379 4,671,089

29

12. Future Strategies

Outline development plans for the results of the research. While DAFM funding for ELDERMET has now ceased, the research theme continues and is

hosted within the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre which is funded through Science

Foundation Ireland. Elements of the ELDERMET project and the brand name are also

maintained in current (and planned) EU/H2020 projects. We continue to build on the

valuable data gathered during the project timeframe by recruiting additional elderly

subjects to expand our knowledge of the interaction between nutrition, health and disease

and the role of the gut microbiota. In vitro, in vivo and pre-clinical models have been

established to further investigate the interplay between the different factors such diet

components and disease. End-users are beginning to directly benefit from ELDERMET

through the rational design of food ingredients that positively modulate the microbiota.

Thus the project’s profile has led to a number of national and international research and

industrial collaborations which will exploit are or exploiting its findings. These projects will

lead to the development of evidence-based solutions such as new dietary recommendations

and food products which will promote active and healthy ageing and positively influence the

gut microbiota. Further research also has the potential for the identification of beneficial

or therapeutic bacterial strains or novel biomarkers of disease and ageing, which could

lead to the development of new disease management and treatment strategies or

diagnostics. The ELDERMET principal investigators continue to seek out funding

opportunities to support the ongoing research, this includes national (DAFM, SFI & EI), EU

(Horizon 2020), international (NIH) and industrial sources. Members of the team

currently lead a number of national projects and are partners in large EU FP7 consortia

which are synergistic to ELDERMET. They are also involved in number of proposal

currently under review in Horizon 2020 and are co-ordinating a 2015 proposal submission

to the topic: Tackling Malnutrition in the elderly.

ELDERMET is an internationally recognized brand and our aim is develop into a reference

centre with UCC partners in the area of dietary aspects of healthy aging. The vision is to

turn our existing knowledge into real solutions to improve healthy ageing through continued

collaborations which will inform and lead a better understanding of diseases and towards

the development of personalized healthcare and novel functional foods. The benefits of

the research are of strategic importance at a national, EU and global level as it will

directly contribute towards addressing the societal grand challenge of an ageing population

and the burden this places on healthcare systems and economies. The prospect of the

development of new food products, diagnostics or therapeutics has the potential for job

creation and increased competitive markets for the associated industries.

13. Industry Collaboration

Summarise details of industry collaboration in the research project. Lakelands Dairies are our industrial partner on the FIRM project, ELDERFOOD

which is investigating novel, dairy-based food ingredients which will be developed

for the elderly consumer.

30

Currently we have a collaborative project with the Kerry Group that is part of the

SFI-funded APC, which is based on technologies established in ELDERMET. We are

involved in another FIRM project called IMMUNOMET with Kerry which was

recently approved and also involves Prof. Helen Roche of UCD and Dr. Eibhlis

O’Connor of University of Limerick.

We have also engaged with Nutricia, Kerry and BioAtlantis who are now part of a

consortium we are leading to apply for funding to Horizon 2020 in 2015 on the topic

of ‘Tackling Malnutrition in the Elderly’. This will build on the valuable research

from ELDERMET.

General Mills are involved in an APC collaborative project which includes a food

intervention study in the elderly. It is hoped the study will lead to the development

of evidence-based solutions to promote healthy ageing. This has also involved

engagement with Moorepark Technology Limited and Nutritional Supplies.