UEG Week Virtual 2020 Congress Review - 17

UEG Week Congress Review

UEG Research Fellowship
Chloé Melchior - UEG Research Fellowship
Awardeee
Chloé Melchior was awarded the UEG Research
Fellowship this year for her research project on the
mechanisms of fructan-induced symptoms in IBS
and the link to gut microbiota composition and
function. Chloé Melchior is an Assistant Professor for
the Gastroenterology Department in Rouen University
Hospital, France.

I believe the key findings of my research
would be underlining the beneficial
and safe effects of a daily dose of 6g of
fructans in IBS, following a low FODMAP
diet and to identify predictive factors
and mechanisms involved in symptom
generation and symptom improvement
in IBS.

"I have noticed that UEG
is really supporting young
gastroenterologists"
The UEG Research Fellowship has
allowed me to draft a structured project
plan and has helped develop my research
skills through the support of the team
at Gothenburg University, as well as
likeminded PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from across Europe.
I have also had the opportunity to learn
more about several ongoing translational
projects at the university, with some
aspects being incorporated in my project.
Our project hopes to measure the
gastrointestinal effects of fructans,
but also to link these effects with gut
microbiota composition and function.
The new gas sensing capsule will allow us
to measure the gas production inside the
gut for the first time, which will enable us
to link the modification in gut microbiota
composition induced by fructans with
their direct effects on microbiota function
and gastrointestinal symptoms.

"Upon embarking on my visitation as a post-doctoral researcher at Gothenburg
University, Sweden, I realised that there were fewer grants in the field of neurogastroenterology when compared to other fields, such as oncology and IBD.

There are many challenges that face
IBS. The most important is to be able
to provide better treatment options,
including personalised medicines, to
improve symptoms in patients with IBS
than we can do today. We need to find
new specific biomarkers that could be
used to predict treatment response and
act as diagnostic tests which can be
used in daily clinical practice, not only in
research."

I am a firm believer that scientific societies have an important role to play in promoting
all aspects of a discipline and have noticed that UEG is really supporting young
gastroenterologists through my previous involvements in UEG activities.
After a discussion with Pilar Acedo (member of the UEG Young Talent Group and Research
Committee) at UEG Week 2019, I was convinced that I should apply for a UEG Research
Fellowship. This week also provided an opportunity to discuss my planned project in
greater detail and had the chance to meet Atmo Biosciences, who developed the new
gas-sensing capsule, which we will use to measure gas produced by the gut microbiota in
fermentation processes and the effects of a low FODMAP diet and fructans in IBS patients.
17
UEG Week Virtual 2020 Congress Review

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of UEG Week Virtual 2020 Congress Review
