Targeting Chronic Disease through Gut Ecology & Metabolic Modulation

As an experienced clinician whose current focus is on translational research, Dr. Christine Houghton identified anomalies in the way she had previously approached gut health and its links to systemic disease. Around 6 years ago, she formulated a hypothesis to address the gut-chronic disease relationship, based around the principles of nutrigenomics. These principles were published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in August 2023 and this ACNEM presentation draws largely from her paper.

Nutrigenomics identifies food-derived signalling molecules that affect gene expression; this approach harnesses those principles by applying nature-compatible strategies.

In this way, the gut ecosystem becomes the gateway for targeting the entire human physiology. By targeting upstream cellular mechanisms, disease names have limited relevance. Her approach addresses aberrant cellular processes, taking advantage of a patient’s individual genomics to personalise the treatment programme.

Gradual restoration of normal cell signalling impacts distant organs and systems, resulting in enhanced cardiometabolic health and the halting of chronic disease progression throughout the body. With its goal of restoring homeostasis to the gut ecosystem, the approach targets the key immune mechanisms intrinsic to gut epithelial cells, embracing the core integrated elements of the sciences of Microbiology, Immunology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry.

Treatment is based on an appropriate and inclusive sequenced diet that utilises specific food-derived signalling molecules to target cytoprotective and other genes. Is so doing, the gut microbiota re-establish their own populations without the need for potentially destructive interventions that may destabilise the microbiome.

This presentation will cover:

• A snapshot of the dynamic relationship connecting the gut epithelium to its underlying immune network
• Insights into how nutrigenomic interventions can leverage the gut’s endogenous immune mechanisms to influence distant organs.
• How the gut epithelium drives the resident microbial population of the gut lumen
• Photographic chronology of patient cases that illustrate the G.E.M.M. principles in dermatology.

Join Dr. Christine Houghton in ‘Targeting Chronic Disease through Gut Ecology & Metabolic Modulation.’

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