Grant: Catalyst Grant: Catalyzing Innovation in Preterm Birth Research

Worldwide, prematurity is the leading cause of death for all infants, with almost one million deaths per year. Babies born before 32 weeks face the worst odds. These babies are only 2% of births, but they account for over 1/3 of all infant deaths. For these infants, a disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) can be one of the most deadly complications of prematurity after the first week of life. NEC is an acquired condition in which intestinal tissue suddenly becomes inflamed and then begins to die off. NEC has a high mortality rate, and, even if the baby survives NEC, they are subject to considerable life-long health problems, resulting in tremendous costs to the health care system. With rising rates of prematurity, NEC poses a significant health and financial burden on Canada. Humans are populated by an enormous number of microorganisms, called the "microbiome." The microbiome can play a critical role in helping to digest food and prevent infection. Interestingly, infants and adults have very different microbiomes, due in part to the different diets between the two generations. For instance, bacteria that commonly populate the infant gut have developed the ability to survive by digesting unique carbohydrates present only in human breast milk, the major diet for infants, giving these bacteria a selective advantage over other gut bacteria that cannot digest such carbohydrates. Recent research suggests that these infant-associated bacteria can also protect babies from diseases, including protecting the premature infant gut from developing NEC. In this grant, we will employ approaches from biochemistry, microbiology, and chemistry to identify the factors produced by beneficial bacteria found in the infant microbiome that protect against NEC. Altogether, our work will provide essential information for the development of novel therapeutics and preventatives for this costly disease.