The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, 6.15 p.m. in the main building of the University of Bern (room 501). It is open to the public and will be followed by an aperitif.

Maria Luisa Balmer’s goal is to specifically change the gut flora in order to prevent the occurrence of obesity. Because severe obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Together with her team, she is investigating the influence of individual bacterial species using germ-free mice, and can thus clarify the relationship between cause and effect. She will now analyze what influences “fattening bacteria” have on obesity and the entire immune system.

Maria Luisa Balmer already demonstrated the link between nutrition, gut flora and the immune system in a previous study (doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.07.004). When the gut metabolizes dietary fibres, which are contained in whole grain products for example, the metabolic product acetate is formed, which has a positive effect on immune cells. The influence of dietary fibres is now being investigated in a clinical study, for which Maria Luisa Balmer’s team has developed a chewing gum. This gum is intended to promote the gut metabolism of overweight children and to help them to reduce their consumption of other sweets, thus enabling them to lose weight more effectively.

As a researcher, physician and mother of two children, Maria Luisa Balmer want to be a role model and show, that with a clear goal and a supportive private and professional environment, one can achieve more and be successful.

Congratulations!

Video with English subtitles: https://youtu.be/5z8RhcxBaXE

SNSF 18.10.2023: https://www.snf.ch/en/lcudft7eszlOeU55/news/do-bacteria-make-you-fat-prizewinner-maria-luisa-balmer-is-looking-for-answers