Maastricht University (UM) stands out for its innovative approach to learning and is very internationally oriented with 45% of students and 25% of staff coming from abroad. Researchers work in multidisciplinary teams, in close cooperation with international institutes, business and industry, and are involved several large European research projects. Within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), The NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism of Maastricht University initiates and catalyses translational research into metabolic and chronic inflammatory disorders that will contribute to innovative personalised lifestyle and medicine approaches with a focus on nutrition, toxicology and metabolism. Availability of unique patient cohorts and biobanks as well as a sophisticated infrastructure for (metabolic) phenotyping allows a network-based approach linking tissue and organ systems within chronic metabolic disorders. The faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences works closely together with the University Hospital Maastricht within the Maastricht University Medical Centre.
- The division Gastroenterology MUMC+ is a national referral centre for Neuro-gastrointestinal and motility disorders with a combined secondary/tertiary care function. Within DISCOVeRIE, UM will provide their clinical expertise as well as exert input on diet-microbiome-barrier interactions within the context of IBS. They contribute with their well-characterised Maastricht IBS cohort which comprises patients and controls with detailed clinical phenotyping and and biobank samples for comprehensive analyses on possible causative factors as well as identification of candidate biomarkers. The available infrastructure further enables inclusion of extra patients for validation of relevant clinical findings and biomarker(s) as well as implementation of e-health. In addition, UM will contribute to the translational approach by addressing underlying mechanisms by use state-of-the-art imaging (fMRI) and by their validated organoid model for intestinal barrier function analyses in relation with host microenvironment as well as imaging. Availability of well-characterised Maastricht IBS cohort with biobank. Expertise on analyses of epithelial barrier function (incl. interaction with host, microbial, dietary factors and underlying mechanisms) and availability of in vitro/ex vivo model systems. Availability of (7 Tesla) fMRI facilities and expertise
Secondary/tertiary referral center for patients with IBS and availability of MedPsych unit for integrated care of IBS patients with mental comorbid disorders. Expertise with disease monitoring using telemedicine.