There are many places that provide a home for these microscopic communities we call the “microbiome”. One such location is none other than the human gut, where the microorganisms play a crucial role in a range of processes such as metabolism, immunity and even behaviour. The AGEWISE: Unravelling the gut-hormone axis in Women’s Aging, project awarded the 2024 Portugal grant from the Biocodex Foundation and led by Ana Santos Almeida at GIMM-CARE, brought together a multidisciplinary team of researchers from GIMM, INESC-ID, and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon to analyse the impact of the microbiome in one specific life stage: menopause.

The fact that gut bacteria are responsible for metabolising estrogen, the most important hormone during menopause, led to the hypothesis of a connection between this life stage and the microbiome. The methodology begins by assessing behavioural patterns and analysing blood and gut microbiome samples from several women, before and during menopause, to identify the microorganisms and hormones present. At INESC-ID, the team is led by Ana Teresa Freitas, researcher in Information Decision and Support Systems and coordinator of the Life and Health Technology thematic line. The group is using deep learning to develop computational tools that will analyse the biological data and support non-invasive diagnosis.

In addition, the INESC-ID team is developing risk models to assess colorectal cancer and other potential diseases associated with menopause. The results could help understand if the gut microbiome could serve as a biomarker of symptoms or as a risk indicator of disease. Furthermore, the project team hopes that in the future, it could be modulated to help prevent serious diseases.

This research is of particular importance for its focus on a condition exclusive to women. With many healthcare studies based mostly on male patients, the information gathered from this research could represent a significant advancement, not only regarding menopause, but also gut-related issues in women’s health.

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