The Gut Microbiome in Precision Medicine: From Diagnostics to Personalized Therapeutics

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Gut Microbiota".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 55

Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
2. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, UOC CEMAD Centro Malattie dell'Apparato Digerente, Medicina Interna e Gastroenterologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: gut microbiota

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
2. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, UOC CEMAD Centro Malattie dell'Apparato Digerente, Medicina Interna e Gastroenterologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: gut microbiome

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
1. Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
2. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, UOC CEMAD Centro Malattie dell'Apparato Digerente, Medicina Interna e Gastroenterologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: gut microbiome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiome is increasingly recognized as a key determinant of human health and disease, influencing host metabolism, immune function, and therapeutic responses. Advances in sequencing technologies, multi-omics approaches, and bioinformatic tools have accelerated the identification of disease-associated microbial signatures, highlighting the potential of the gut microbiome as a valuable resource for clinical decision-making.

This Special Issue aims to gather current research and clinical advances on the application of gut microbiome science to precision medicine. We welcome contributions exploring microbiome-based biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis, patient stratification, and prediction of treatment response. We also invite submissions addressing microbiome-targeted therapeutic strategies, such as dietary interventions, probiotics, postbiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and emerging microbiome-based therapeutics.

By bringing together microbiologists, clinicians, and translational researchers, this Special Issue seeks to advance our understanding of how gut microbiome profiling can support personalized healthcare and improve patient outcomes. Review articles, original research articles, and communications on this topic are welcome.

Dr. Serena Porcari
Dr. Andrea Severino
Guest Editors

Dr. Debora Rondinella
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • gut microbiome
  • diagnostic tool
  • personalized therapy
  • microbiome therapeutics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 368 KB  
Article
Feasibility and Compliance of Stool Collection for Future Microbiome-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening: Preliminary Findings from a Prospective Multicenter FIT-Positive Cohort
by Andrea Severino, Debora Rondinella, Simone Varca, Tommaso Schepis, Serena Porcari, Piergiorgio Bisegna, Ernesto Margarita, Federico Barbaro, Silvia Pecere, Rossella Maresca, Daniela Feliciani, Barbara Funaro, Anna Latiano, Orazio Palmieri, Alessandro Azzarone, Paola Cesaro, Daniele Salvi, Carla Treppiccione, Gianmarco Piccinno, Nicola Segata, Cristiano Spada, Antonio Gasbarrini and Gianluca Ianiroadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Microorganisms 2026, 14(7), 1564; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14071564 - 17 Jul 2026
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major global health burden, and early detection through population-based screening programs significantly reduces both incidence and mortality. Although gut microbiome-based biomarkers have emerged as promising non-invasive tools for CRC detection, limited evidence is available regarding patient acceptance and [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major global health burden, and early detection through population-based screening programs significantly reduces both incidence and mortality. Although gut microbiome-based biomarkers have emerged as promising non-invasive tools for CRC detection, limited evidence is available regarding patient acceptance and compliance with microbiome-based screening studies, factors that may influence their future implementation in clinical practice. We conducted a preliminary analysis of an ongoing multicenter, prospective observational study designed to develop a gut microbiome-based diagnostic tool for CRC and advanced colorectal adenomas in fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-positive individuals. The primary objective of this preliminary analysis was to evaluate patient acceptance and compliance with participation in a microbiome-based study within an organized CRC screening setting. Secondary objectives included describing the clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological characteristics of the enrolled cohort. FIT-positive individuals referred for screening colonoscopy at participating Italian centers were screened for eligibility, underwent colonoscopy, and were invited to provide a stool sample for microbiome analysis. A total of 315 individuals were screened, of whom 212 (67%) were enrolled. Among eligible patients, 90% agreed to enroll after receiving study information. Overall, 200 (94%) of enrolled individuals completed the required study activities, including stool sample collection and colonoscopy, indicating high compliance with study procedures. Colonoscopy was performed in 209 patients (99% of enrolled patients). CRC was detected in 7 patients (3%), and advanced colorectal adenomas in 39 (18%), while 86 (41%) colonoscopies were negative. The positive predictive value of FIT was 3.35% for CRC and 18.66% for advanced adenomas. In our preliminary analysis, patient acceptance and compliance with microbiome-based sampling were high among FIT-positive individuals undergoing CRC screening. These findings support the feasibility of conducting microbiome-based studies within organized screening programs. Analyses aimed at developing and validating the microbiome-based diagnostic tool are currently ongoing and are beyond the scope of the present report. Full article
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