About NEOMUNE

The overall NEOMUNE objective is to develop new diet and gut microbiota treatments for newborn infants.

Shortly after birth, infants must adapt to milk intake and tolerate colonization by billions of microbes along all body surfaces, including the gut. Together, the first diet and gut microbiota stimulate immunity and digestive development. Most newborn infants normally adapt well, but factors such as Caesarean birth, high hygiene levels, antibiotics treatment and inappropriate formula feeding may disturb immune system maturation.

Impaired immune system maturation is associated with reduced growth, more infections and impaired maturation of key organs like the gut and brain.

The most sensitive population and at greatest risk of an improper maturation after birth is infants born small or premature, and these account for approximately 15% of all infants. It remains unknown how diet and bacterial colonization best support maturation for term, preterm and low birth weight infants.

Supplier of public funding

The Danish Council for Strategic Research

Related projects
The NEOCOL Project