2006 IRISH SCIENTIST YEAR BOOK

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University College Cork
Sally Cudmore
Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre

The Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) has continued to grow since its foundation in October 2003. The APC is a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded Centre for Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) that is headquartered in University College Cork. The other founding academic partner of the APC is Teagasc in Moorepark, Fermoy. The foundation industry alliance for the APC is with Alimentary Health Ltd., a UCC campus company, in association with Procter and Gamble. The APC is home to over 80 researchers, from 21 different countries (representing 6 continents � we do not yet have any scientists from Antartica!). We foresee considerable expansion over the next 12 months as the APC continues to grow and form new collaborations, particularly with industry.


Students from Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, Blarney, Co Cork conducting lab experiments during a visit to the APC.

The unifying research theme of the APC is gut health. The intestinal bacterial flora is predominantly a health asset and occasionally a liability. Manipulation of the flora to enhance this asset and offset any liabilities is emerging as a realistic therapeutic strategy in various diseases that affect human and animal welfare. These diseases include infections, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer. Manipulation of the flora can be achieved safely with foodgrade bacteria and with functional food ingredients that influence intestinal bacteria. In addition, the intestinal flora represents a rich repository of substances that can be mined for discovery of novel drugs, such as anti-inflammatories and antimicrobials. By understanding bacterial signalling and interactions with the host immune system, new molecular targets can be exploited for drug development (from bugs to drugs).

Thus, the work of the APC is of tangible importance to several industries including human health maintenance, agriculture and animal husbandry and is pitched at the interface of both the food and pharmaceutical sectors.

There have been a number of scientific advances in the last year �

� The Pathogenicity Research core has used a few tricks from a GI pathogen, Listeria , which is very resistant to bile which normally destroys bacteria in the gut. They have identified the gene in Listeria that confers bile resistance, and used this to make selected probiotic strains more bile tolerant and help them adapt to the harsh environment of the gut.

� The Bioinformatics Team has sequenced three different probiotic bacteria strains, which will allow researchers to identify the function of specific genes, such as those that help protect against environmental stress, or that produce important chemicals that help kill pathogenic bacteria.

� The Host Response core has shown that in IBS patients, certain probiotics help polarise the immune system towards a more regulated response.

� A Cork probiotic strain, Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, which was developed by Alimentary Health, has been licenced by the Procter and Gamble Company. They have named this strain Bifantus� and have launched a test market product called AlignGI� to help even out the ups and downs of common digestive upsets such as diarrhoea, constipation, gas, bloating, or urgency. Currently this product is available in the USA. For more information you can see the website www.aligngi.com

The APC Education and Outreach team has introduced many more great projects. This year UCC's 2nd Science For All postgraduate competition was extended to include presentations to the general public from PhD students from all the science and engineering disciplines, and the UCC winner came second in the 1st national competiton of all Irish Universities, Science Speak.


Luke O'Cyte (a T-cell) and GI Jake (a bifidobacterium) who help to teach children about the immune and digestive systems.

The MicrobeMagic@school programme was extended even further with this years talk entitled "Your body's defence system � how you stay healthy". Over the last 12 months APC scientists presented these interactive talks and experiments to over 5000 school children in Munster and Ireland. Other talks delivered by the team include the digestive system and the immune system for junior and leaving certificate levels, as well as talks on careers in science. To arrange a visit for your school please contact us.

We also arranged events for the general public � "Natural Solutions to Today's Medical Problems" was an evening of presentations by APC researchers to the public describing some of the recent research successes, followed by plenty of time for questions and discussion. The APC also hosted an IBS Patient Open Day in Cork University Hospital, to let patients and their families know about some of the clinical research and discoveries going on.

Please e-mail [email protected] if you would like to be added to our mailing list for newsletters and upcoming events.

Contact: Dr Sally Cudmore, General Manager Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre,
BioSciences Institute, UCC.
E-mail:[email protected]
Web: apc.ucc.ie and microbemagic.ucc.ie