{"id":1479,"date":"2025-12-10T02:06:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T02:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/?p=1479"},"modified":"2025-12-10T02:54:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T02:54:20","slug":"fs-hoey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/fs-hoey\/","title":{"rendered":"Funding Award – Feasibility Study: University of Ulster"},"content":{"rendered":"

INFORM are delighted to announce the funding award for a Feasibility Study Project \u201cGutFood” – Effect of a food intervention with a prebiotic alone or combined with B-vitamins on gut microbiota diversity, inflammation and mental health outcomes in older adults,\u00a0<\/strong>led by Dr Leane Hoey, Ulster University.<\/p>\n

Project Team:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr Leane Hoey – Ulster University (PI),
\nProfessor Kieran Tuohy – University of Leeds
\nProfessor Helene McNulty – Ulster University
\nMr Willie Wixted – ABC Nutrition Ltd
\nDr Elaine Vaughan – Sensus B,V<\/p>\n

This project targets the growing challenge of mental health problems in older adults, including depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance and reduced quality of life. These issues are closely linked to age-related declines in gut microbiota diversity, chronic low-grade inflammation (\u201cinflammageing\u201d), and poor nutritional status. Emerging evidence shows that the gut\u2013brain axis plays an important role in mental wellbeing, yet few human trials have examined whether improving gut health can directly benefit mental health outcomes.<\/p>\n

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Project Aims:\u00a0 <\/strong>The GutFood feasibility study aims to evaluate whether a novel functional drink enriched with inulin\u2014either alone or combined with folate-related B-vitamins\u2014can improve:<\/p>\n