Modulation of Microbiome in dog and adaptative response of microbiome-gut-brain axis.

Supervisor: Prof. Bruno Stefanon

Dogs intestinal dysbiosis and food sensibilities had several origins and present complex symptoms, but one aspect is in common: the increase of the gut permeability and the instauration of a local inflammatory process that can result in a systemic response. These situations often derive from an interaction with the intestinal microbiome. This latter can be altered because of a prevalence of some bacteria taxa within the microbial population, which can also led to a decrease of the gut microbiome biodiversity. Several studies have been made to find a correlation between the gut microbial community and the onset of these disturbs. At this point, microbiota reference values are still hard to define because of the great individual variability, based on genetic, epigenetic and environmental characteristics. Breed, cross-breed, gender, age, immune-education during the first stage of life and nutrition are some of the factors that can influence the gut microbiome. Moreover, recent findings underlined the function of the gut microbiota as a neuroendocrine organ, with the production of neurotransmitters that can regulate mood, food habits, energy intake and immune response.
The aim of my research project is to collect data of the intestinal microbiota of healthy dogs from different breeds, genders, ages and food habits, with the final goal to constitute a microbial database to use as a reference for the clinic practice. These data will be compared with information from dogs with gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders, to see if there is any fluctuation in microbial community. Furthermore, changes in faecal microbiome due to the modulation of diet with several nutrients will be studied, searching for a relationship between dog microbiome and adaptative neuroendocrinal response.
The research activity will be focused on the characterization of microbiome by analysis of faecal DNA, with the use of High-throughput DNA sequencing, and end products determination of the microbial community. Moreover, biochemical and endocrinological analysis will be carried on, to characterize the amount and the production of endocrine molecules, such as serotonin and cortisol, in biological fluids.
 
Biography and contacts
Elisa Scarsella was born in 1992 in San Vito al Tagliamento (PN), Italy. She graduated in Livestosk Science And Animal Production Technologies in September 2014, and in Biotechnologies For Food Science (Master degree) in October 2016. She performed a master degree internship of five months at the University of Ghent (Belgium) in 2016, where she studied the effect of different cysteine precursors on performance and oxidative status of finishing broiler under heat stress.
In November 2018 she started the doctoral course in Agriculture Science and Biotechnology at the University of Udine.
Institutional e-mail: scarsella.elisa@spes.uniud.it
Phone: +39 0432/558599