Fecal Microbiota Transplants: From Gut Infections to Psychiatric Disorders

Fecal transplantation is an established procedure for controlling recurrent Clostridium difficile infection by replenishing healthy bacteria in the gut. Researchers explore novel applications of fecal transplantation for treating other conditions, including psychiatric disorders. In this episode, Iris Kulbatski from The Scientist’s Creative Services Team spoke with Ian Carroll, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Kylie Reed, a PhD candidate in Carroll’s laboratory, to learn how the current understanding of treating infectious disease with fecal transplantation drives new applications of this therapy for psychiatric conditions such as eating disorders.

The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.