Lab4 Probiotics at the 12th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota Valencia, Spain 2025

The 12th Congress on Targeting Microbiota, organised by the International Society of Microbiota, brought together more than 180 scientists, clinicians, and industry professionals from 23 countries. The diverse programme of oral and poster presentations explored cutting-edge microbiome research and how it can transform the future of nutrition, medicine, and biotechnology.

At this meeting, our research scientists Evie Lawrence and Esther Gimblett presented our latest in vitro work on Lab4 Probiotics.  

Early microbiota establishment can have lifelong implications for disease risk and immune system development. Breastfeeding offers optimal nutrition to neonates by supporting a diverse microbial population and simultaneously delivering human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). Evie demonstrated the potential of combining HMOs with the Lab4 or Lab4B probiotic consortia to enhance colonisation in vitro, which may support early microbiome development and provide a foundation for promoting long-term gut health. 

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing vaginal candidiasis. While anti-fungal medications are effective, they may cause side effects, recurrent infections and potential anti-fungal resistance. Esther presented in vitro data, showing the beneficial effects of two Lab4 strains, Lactobacillus gasseri CUL09 and Lactobacillus acidophilus CUL60 (producers of lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide), in combination with natural anti-fungal garlic on inhibition of C. albicans growth. Importantly, there were no detrimental effects on the viability, inflammatory state, or gut barrier function, indicating no significant risk of inflammatory response or microbial translocation.