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Exploring the Future of Gut Health: BIOME9's Industry Journal Club

At BIOME9, we’re passionate about advancing our understanding of the microbiome and gut health. That’s why we’re thrilled to have launched our exclusive Industry Journal Club, a quarterly event designed to bring together professionals and collaborators who share our commitment to cutting-edge science.

March 14, 2025 • 4 min read

Bushra Schuitemaker

Lead Microbiologist

What is the BIOME9 Industry Journal Club?

The BIOME9 Industry Journal Club is an invite-only online gathering that offers a unique opportunity to dive deep into the latest microbiome research. Held every quarter on Thursday lunchtime, it’s a space for accredited professionals and collaborators to discuss scientific studies, share insights, and connect with others passionate about gut health science.

Before each session, participants receive a peer-reviewed publication via email, allowing them time to read and reflect. The paper then forms the foundation of our discussion. We also encourage participants to bring other articles or insights from the wider industry, making it a dynamic and engaging learning experience.

A session recording will be made available for those who can’t attend live. However, registration is essential to receive the paper, calendar invite, and access to the recording.

Our First Session: Insights into Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT)

Our first session, held on 6th March 2024, took an in-depth look at a significant study conducted by Pérez-Accino et al. (2025). This research focused on whether faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could effectively improve the health of dogs suffering from chronic enteropathy (CE)—a condition known for causing persistent digestive problems such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and weight loss, which can significantly affect a dog's quality of life.

FMT is an innovative approach that involves transferring healthy gut bacteria from a donor dog to a recipient. The goal is to restore the recipient’s gut microbiome balance and promote better digestive health. By introducing beneficial bacteria, FMT aims to correct dysbiosis—an imbalance in gut bacteria—which is often associated with conditions like CE.

In this study, seven dogs diagnosed with CE received FMT from healthy donor dogs. The researchers closely monitored the dogs’ progress post-treatment. The results were promising: after just one FMT procedure, the dogs showed significant improvements in their clinical symptoms within the first week. These improvements were not short-lived either, as progress continued up to 30 days after the treatment. Symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea were reduced, and overall wellbeing appeared to improve significantly.

We delved into the science behind these findings during our Journal Club discussion. Attendees explored how FMT might contribute to symptom relief, even without lasting microbiome changes. An intriguing point of discussion centred around the role of transient microbes—those that don’t establish long-term colonies in the gut but might still provide immediate health benefits. Could these short-term visitors be responsible for the observed clinical improvements? If so, how exactly are they contributing to gut health, and could they influence gut function beyond what we currently understand?

We also considered the broader implications for veterinary practice. While the study showed clear benefits regarding symptom reduction, questions arose about optimising FMT protocols for longer-term benefits. Would multiple treatments offer more excellent microbiome stability, or is the key in combining FMT with dietary interventions or prebiotic supplementation to help beneficial bacteria take root and thrive?

Another fascinating element of the discussion was the study’s methodology. The research used v4 sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, which provides genus-level insights but lacks species-level detail. We explored how deeper sequencing methods, like those covering the entire v1-v9 regions, could offer a more detailed picture of microbiome changes and reveal which specific bacteria might be driving health outcomes.

Moreover, we reflected on the potential influence of non-bacterial components of the microbiome, such as viruses, bacteriophages, and metabolites. Though not measured in the study, these elements could significantly affect gut function and health outcomes. Could these non-bacterial factors be behind the clinical improvements observed, even if the bacterial composition remained relatively unchanged?

Overall, the session offered valuable insights into FMT's potential and limitations. It also sparked engaging discussions among attendees about how such treatments could be further refined and explored in the future.

Why Should You Join the Next Journal Club?

The BIOME9 Industry Journal Club isn’t just about reading studies; it’s about fostering critical discussions and building connections within the microbiome science community. Each session dives into key questions like:

How do treatments like FMT impact gut health in the long term?
What role do diet and environmental factors play in shaping the microbiome?
How can we apply the latest research to veterinary practice and product development?

It's also an opportunity to connect with leading experts, share experiences, and gain insights that could shape future research and practice.

Save the Date: Next Session on Thursday 5th June 2024

If you’re an accredited professional passionate about gut health science, don’t miss our next session on 5th June 2024.

To join, email research@biome9.com to be added to our mailing list. You'll receive the research paper one week before the event, along with the meeting link and details on how to join. If you can't attend live, don't worry, a recording will be available to registered participants after the event.

This is your chance to stay at the forefront of microbiome research, engage in meaningful discussions, and connect with fellow experts. We can’t wait to see you there!

Ready to start your BIOME9 journey?

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Frequently asked questions

The microbiome is the name given to the collection of microbes, mostly bacteria, but also fungi and protozoa, that exist within your dog’s gut. It is a diverse and complex microbial community which can directly affect health and wellbeing. We know that 90% of a human’s body cells are microbes, with only 10% being human cells – it’s just that human cells are markedly larger than the microbes. It’s similar for our four-legged friends. Testing the microbiome gives us an idea of exactly which bacteria are present in your dog’s gut and this can help indicate existing or future health problems.
A healthy diversity within the microbiome has been found to be an accurate indicator of overall health and wellbeing. If your dog appears healthy, but has an imbalance in their microbiome, then this could be an indicator of a potential future health issue. If your dog has any existing health complaints, then improving the health of their microbiome can help to improve immune system health and overall wellbeing, as well as improving disease symptoms.
Testing and treatment have the potential to help with a whole range of different health complaints. The immune system is very closely associated with the gut, so any imbalance in the microbiome can influence immune system health, overall vitality and wellbeing. Our supplement recommendations are also tailored to your individual dog, with specific ranges designed to help with gastrointestinal inflammation, joint problems, allergies and skin complaints, to name a few.
All you need to do is order a kit online and fill in our questionnaire about your dog and their general health. We will then send the kit out to you by post. You then just need to collect a sample and return it to us, again by post. Once the test is performed, we will email the results directly to you.
You do not need to get your vet’s permission to test, or talk to them about performing the test beforehand. We do recommend that you pass on a copy of your test results to your regular vets, as it may help them in understanding your pet’s current health, and any future complaints they may have.