This project is supported by the Genome BC Immunoengineering Strategic Initiative (GISI), with funding from Genome Canada and matching funds through Health Research BC. It is a BC-based initiative with national and international collaborations.
Dr. Carolina Tropini, the BC Principal Investigator from the University of British Columbia, leads a multidisciplinary team alongside co-leaders Dr. Bruce Vallance and Dr. Lisa Osborne. Together, they are tackling a serious health threat: antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR makes infections harder to treat and is expected to cause 10 million deaths per year globally by 2050. Many of these infections begin in the gut, where harmful bacteria can thrive when the body’s natural defences are weak.
The MiPEx project focuses on strengthening those defences by harnessing the human gut microbiota—the collection of helpful microbes that live in our digestive system. Some people naturally carry beneficial microbes that help fight off harmful bacteria. This research aims to identify and develop those helpful microbes into “live biotherapeutics,” a new kind of treatment that uses good bacteria to block infections.
The team will use advanced lab techniques and models that mimic the human gut, including gut-on-a-chip technology and germ-free mice, to test how well these microbes work. In the future, this approach could help protect vulnerable individuals, reduce the need for antibiotics, and strengthen Canada’s preparedness for future pandemics.
By developing innovative, sustainable treatments, MiPEx contributes to BC’s health care and biotechnology sectors and supports healthier outcomes for all Canadians.