The Gut Pathology and Microbiome Science Group (GPMS) investigates the gastrointestinal side effects of cancer treatments, including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, and constipation. As part of an international research network spanning Australia, Europe, and the USA, we aim to unravel the complex biological events that occur during cancer therapy and significantly impact patients’ quality of life.

A core focus of our research is the gut microbiome—the complex community of microorganisms that resides in the gastrointestinal tract—and its critical role in gut health and disease. We study how cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, disrupt the microbiome’s composition and function, contributing to gastrointestinal toxicity. By integrating microbiome profiling with histological, immunological, and molecular analyses, we explore how microbial shifts influence inflammation, epithelial integrity, and host-microbe signalling.

Our work employs a range of experimental models and analytical techniques to study both normal gut structure and function, and how these are altered during and after cancer treatment. We focus on identifying the molecular signalling pathways that govern gut health and disease, linking observed tissue damage to underlying biological mechanisms.

We have developed mouse models of chemotherapy-induced gut toxicity, adaptable to various chemotherapeutic agents. These models allow us to investigate interactions between the host and microbiota in a controlled setting. We also use them to assess the safety and effectiveness of novel compounds, including microbiome-targeted therapies, aimed at preventing or mitigating gastrointestinal damage caused by cancer treatments.

GPMS is deeply engaged in clinical translation. Our findings have informed multiple updates to Clinical Practice Guidelines, particularly in the areas of Gastrointestinal Mucositis and the Pathogenesis of Mucositis, through systematic reviews and collaborative expert input.

Current projects focus on:

  • The role of vitamin D in maintaining gut and microbiome health.
  • Microbiome-mediated mechanisms of gastrointestinal damage following cancer treatment.
  • Identification and evaluation of therapeutic targets, including probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics, to preserve or restore gut health.
  • Longitudinal profiling of the gut microbiota in patients undergoing cancer therapy to identify biomarkers of risk and recovery.

People

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Associate Professor Andrea Stringer

HDR Candidates

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Luca Scassa

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Benjamin Hargreaves

 

Abigail Milner

 

Publications

Dietary oat bran reduces systemic inflammation in mice subjected to pelvic irradiation

Patel, P., Malipatlolla, D.K., Devarakonda, S., ...Steineck, G., Sjöberg, F.

Nutrients, 2020, 12(8), pp. 1–26, 2172

Long-term mucosal injury and repair in a murine model of pelvic radiotherapy

Malipatlolla, D.K., Patel, P., Sjöberg, F., ...Steineck, G., Bull, C.

Scientific Reports, 2019, 9(1), 13803

Intake of citrus fruits and vegetables and the intensity of defecation urgency syndrome among gynecological cancer survivors

Hedelin, M., Skokic, V., Wilderäng, U., ...Stringer, A., Steineck, G.

PLoS ONE, 2019, 14(1), e0208115