A new national centre is set to change how we study the human gut. Dr Tamas Korcsmaros, Associate Professor in Intestinal Epithelial Systems, and Dr Lejla Gul, Research Fellow in Host-microbe interactions, introduce the Centre for Intestinal Systems (CIS), a hub dedicated to advancing human-relevant gut research. They explore why the gut matters, how new technologies are reshaping the field, and how CIS aims to connect researchers and innovators to improve patient outcomes.
Imperial has officially launched the Centre for Intestinal Systems (CIS), an interdisciplinary research hub focused on understanding the human gut and microbiome, and how they influence health and disease.
The Centre was launched on 12 January at Imperial’s White City Campus, with a full-day event bringing together nearly 150 researchers, clinicians, industry partners and funders. The mix of backgrounds and expertise reflected the ambition behind CIS: to connect those working on the gut biology and technology, and to accelerate research that is truly relevant to patients.
Why the gut matters
The gut plays a central role in our health, from digestion and immunity to metabolism and even mental wellbeing. Yet much gut research still relies on animal models, which often fail to reflect how the human intestine really works. Differences in gut physiology, diet, environment and the microbiome mean that results don’t always translate to patients.
CIS was created to help change this.
By bringing together human-based laboratory models, clinical insight and cutting-edge technologies, the Centre aims to support more predictive and collaborative gut research, while also reducing the need for animal testing.
Cross-community vision for human-relevant research for human-relevant research
The centre was formally opened by Professor Graham Cooke (Acting Dean of Faculty of Medicine), Professor Phillip Bennett (Acting Head of the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction), and Dr Katie Bates (Head of Research Funding at the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction if Animals in Research). They were joined by Imperial experts, Professor Nick Powell, Dr James Kinross, Professor Gary Frost, and Professor Marc Dumas, who spoke about how human-relevant models could transform research across medicine, surgery, nutrition, and drug development. Together, they highlighted the need for tools that better align with real patient biology.
Learning from leaders
The day also featured inspiring talks from international experts:
- Dr Lorna Ewart (Chief Scientific Officer, Emulate) shared how organ-on-chip systems could move from the lab into everyday research
- Dr YongTae Kim (Chief Executive Officer, MEPSGEN) showed how robotics and microfluidics can make gastrointestinal research faster and more reliable
- Dr Kaline Arnauts (Leuven IBD Center) demonstrated how advanced intestinal models can capture patient differences in inflammatory bowel disease
- Dr Sylvia Boj (Chief Scientific Officer, HUB Organoids) reflected on the strength of patient-derived organoids – tiny, lab-grown versions of the intestine – and the work still needed to scale them up
An afternoon showcase brought together technology developers and researchers for short presentations and discussions on platforms available through CIS.
The day then ended with a networking reception, helping to turn broad interest into practical conversations about model selection, experimental design, and potential collaborative projects.
What does CIS actually do?
CIS provides access to advanced, human-based gut models, including:
- Patient-derived intestinal organoids – miniature versions of the intestine grown from patient samples
- Gut-on-chip and microfluidic systems – robot or computer-controlled devices that mimic how the gut works under real-life conditions
- Co-culture models – systems combining gut cells, microbes, and/or immune cells to better reflect biological complexity
These approaches help researchers to study diseases mechanism, how the microbiome affects health and therapeutic responses in ways that better reflect real biology.
A national, collaborative hub
The core aim of CIS is to operate as a national, outward-facing centre, working with partners across the UK and beyond. This includes close connections with networks such as the London gastroIntestinal Organoid Network (LION) and collaborations with academic groups, technology developers, and industrial users.
Researchers can engage with CIS in many ways, from small pilot studies and training, to large collaborative projects with academic and industry partners. The Centre also supports students and early career researchers through access to infrastructure, samples, and preliminary data.
Looking ahead
The launch highlighted the wide range of fields CIS will support, ranging from nutrition and microbiome science to cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and drug development.
As the Centre grows, its focus will be on enabling high-impact collaborations, supporting translational research, and training the next generation of gut scientists.
Together, CIS aims to change how we study the gut, and ultimately, how we treat disease.
For further information contact Orgfac@imperial.ac.uk.