The Department of Biology at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Hasanuddin, Hosts a Guest Lecture with a Microbiome Expert from UiTM Malaysia
The Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at Hasanuddin University hosted a guest lecture titled “Modulation of the Gut Microbiota Using Probiotics as a Potential Therapeutic Approach in Selected Metabolic Diseases in Humans: Evidence from Animal Studies” on Friday (September 25) in Lecture Theater 2, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University. This guest lecture featured Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Shafiq bin Aazmi from the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, and was attended by undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students in Biology, as well as faculty members from the Department of Biology.
In his presentation, the speaker explained the link between gut microbiota and various metabolic diseases, including gestational diabetes mellitus, which is influenced by sociodemographic factors, clinical conditions, and dietary patterns. He also presented the results of his research on a NaCl-induced prehypertensive mouse model, which demonstrated the potential of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG to influence systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure. Additionally, the speaker emphasized the importance of integrating metagenomics and metabolomics approaches to understand the relationship between microbiota composition, the metabolites produced, and the development of metabolic diseases.
The discussion session was interactive. Participants asked questions regarding the criteria for effective probiotic strains, the design of probiotic studies in experimental animals, and the role of probiotics in preventing the development of preobesity and prehypertension. The speaker emphasized that probiotics serve as supportive supplements, not primary treatments, and their benefits are optimized when combined with a healthy diet.
The event also included the presentation of souvenirs and certificates to the guest speakers, followed by a group photo. This guest lecture is expected to broaden the academic community’s understanding of microbiome research while strengthening academic collaboration between Hasanuddin University and Universiti Teknologi MARA.
