Students

Name: Wenyi ZHU

Post: Full-time Ph.D. (3 years)

Enrolled: August 2019-present

Origin: Mainland China

Degree:  Bachelor of clinical medicine, Southern Medical University

Doctor of Medicine, Southern Medical University

Supervisor: Prof. William K.K. Wu ; Prof Siew Chien Ng

Title of Thesis:

The function of Roseburia Intestinalis in the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrom

Outline of the Thesis:

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that predisposes individuals to many age-associated diseases and reduces human lifespan. Live bacteria therapeutics is the therapeutic use of bacteria to treat diseases. It is a potential treatment for obesity and metabolic syndrome during last several decades.

In this study, we firstly evaluate the efficacy of probiotics in treating obesity and metabolic syndrome through systematic review and meta-analysis. Then we seek next generation probiotic targets from Hong Kong obese cohorts. Roseburia intestinalis was then selected as our target.

Roseburia intestinalis belongs to Roseburia genus, one group of dominant butyrate producing Firmicutes.  Roseburia intestinalis has been proved to be depleted in colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. It played role in amelioration of atherosclerosis as well.

In this study, we explore the function of Roseburia intestinalis in treating obesity through in vivo and in vitro experiments.