Juan Du Lab

Research description   

Project 1: Cohort study: Swedish Cancer Microbiome project (SCANMi)

The SCANMi project comprises cohorts from head and neck cancer (HNC), cervical cancer (CC), ovarian cancer (OC), and breast cancer (BC), which are the most common cancer types worldwide. The hypothesis is that the microbiome of the gut, oral, vagina, and tumor will be altered according to differences in immune system, cancer stage, and treatments. Certain commensal bacterial species are expected to be more abundant and relate to a stronger immune response, less inflammation, and better clinical outcomes. It paves the way for more personalized and precise cancer treatments that take into account individual microbiome compositions.

Project 2: Harnessing the power of the vaginal microbiome to combat Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections and related diseases

Vaginal microbes and HPV share the same biological niche. We and others have previously found that bacterial vaginosis is associated with a higher risk of HPV infection. It is also essential to identify commensal bacteria/probiotics e.g. /Lactobacillus, / that have the potential to combat HPV infection and related diseases. We employ state-of-the-art laboratory analyses to gain mechanistic insights into the interplay between vaginal microbes and HPV.

Additionally, we are investigating the carcinogenic mechanisms of microbes that are related to cancer. Furthermore, we possess a large clinical bacterial biobank that enables us to compare and distinguish the best candidates for potential anti-HPV and anti-cancer treatment.

Project 3: Using commensal bacteria and their metabolites to combat antibiotic resistant pathogens

Antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections have become a global burden, and currently, new antibiotic discovery streams are extremely limited. My group studies the interaction between pathogens and commensal bacteria to determine the crucial role played by commensal bacteria from our gut microbiota and their derived metabolites in pathogen clearance. This proposal will generate valuable data on microbiome-pathogen interactions, both in vitro and in vivo. My long-term goal is to establish a platform for systematic screening of the gut microbiota, which can provide significant value for future treatments of microbiota-related diseases.

Project 4: Gut/Vagina-microbiota 3D model for host-microbiota interaction

We aim to establish an in vitro 3D co-culture platform using a hydrogel system that mimics the morphology of the human small intestine and vagina. This platform will serve as a foundation for co-culturing human small intestine cell lines or vaginal cell lines with human microbiota, enabling us to evaluate the interactions between the host and microbiota. Additionally, we will test our hypotheses using ex vivo explants of cervix tissues.

Lab members