Interdisciplinary Medical & Health Seminars - Lecture ‘Organ crosstalk in gastrointestinal disease: from molecular mechanisms to new therapeutic targets’ - 28/09/2023

Guest speaker: Assistant Prof. Kai Markus Schneider (University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany) 

The majority of human diseases involve complex interactions of different organ and cellular systems. Traditional organ-centric pathophysiological models fail to capture these interactions. This talk outlines circuits of inter-organ communication in the gastrointestinal tract with a focus on the gut-liver-brain axis. It elucidates the intricate molecular circuits involved in gut-liver crosstalk, expounding on how they underpin vital physiological processes and how they are changed in disease. A key feature of the presentation is the exploration of the gut microbiome's role as an important interface in the gut-liver axis. This underscores how disturbances in the microbiome can not only impact gut health, but also contribute to the onset or exacerbation of liver disease. Moreover, the talk will highlight new data on the emerging field of neuro-immune interactions. Recently, we identified the impact of glucocorticoids on enteric glia and neurons and discovered an underlying mechanism that links psychological stress to the exacerbation of gut inflammation. Finally, the talk takes a forward-looking stance, delving into the promising area of therapeutic approaches targeting organ crosstalk. By manipulating the gut microbiota, we might be able to intervene in the harmful cycles of organ crosstalk, offering a novel approach to managing liver and other GI diseases. This session provides an overview of organ crosstalk, while delving deeper into the intricacies of gut-liver interactions and their implications for future therapeutic strategies.

Practical information:

• When: Thursday 28 September 2023 from 16:00 until 17:30

• Organiser: Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences 

• This lecture will be livestreamed via MS Teams

• Sign up: https://event.ugent.be/registration/KaiMarkusSchneider 

Aug. 31, 2023, 9:47 a.m.