Project title: The Influence of Microbiome in Celiac Disease Using a Human iPSC-derived Celiac-disease-on-chip Model

Project No.: lzp-2025/1-0296

Period: 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2028

Project costs: 300 000,00 EUR

Principal Investigator: PhD Kathrina Mae Bienes

Project summary:

Coeliac disease (CeD) is an autoimmune disorder affecting approximately 1% of the global population. It is primarily triggered by gluten ingestion in genetically predisposed individuals, 90% of whom carry the HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 alleles, resulting in villous atrophy in the small intestine. Although genetic predisposition is well-characterized, the contribution of the gut microbiome to CeD pathogenesis remains insufficiently understood. The aim of the project is to elucidate the role of the microbiome in CeD using an advanced human iPSC-derived coeliac-disease-on-chip (CeDOC) model. The study will involve (1) isolation and sequencing of microbiota from healthy donors and CeD patients, (2) assembly of the CeDOC model using intestinal organoids, endothelial, and myeloid cells derived from CeD patients (3) co-culturing microbiota within the CeDOC system. The expected outcomes include novel insights into microbiome-driven modulation of gut barrier function and immune responses, with potential implications for therapeutic innovation. Quantifiable results: 1 Q1/Q2 scientific publication, 1 FAIR-compliant dataset, 2 national project proposal submissions, 3 international conference presentations, 6 public dissemination events, and the active involvement of 1 MSc and 1 BSc student in advanced biomedical research.

Information published 05.01.2026.