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Probiotics, Postbiotics, Gut Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Prebiotics and Probiotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2026 | Viewed by 59

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Food College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
Interests: lactic acid bacteria taxonomy; probiotic metabolism and fermentation engineering; probiotics and intestinal microecology regulation; stabilization and delivery system for probiotics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The human gastrointestinal tract contains a complex microbial ecosystem that plays a key role in maintaining host health through dynamic interactions with metabolic, immune, and neurological systems. Disruptions in this delicate balance, termed dysbiosis, are increasingly linked to inflammatory bowel diseases, functional GI disorders, obesity, and even extra-intestinal conditions such as nervous system and autoimmune diseases. Emerging research highlights the critical contributions of probiotics and postbiotics in modulating gut microbiota composition and function, thereby influencing gastrointestinal homeostasis. As live microorganisms, probiotics act through multifaceted mechanisms, including enhancing mucosal barrier function via tight junction protein modulation, the competitive exclusion of pathogens, and the production of bioactive metabolites. Postbiotics, in contrast, exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects independent of microbial viability. Crucially, probiotics and postbiotics both have the ability to shape gut microbiota ecology by enriching commensal taxa.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute works with cutting-edge methodologies, including multi-omics integration, synthetic biology, and microbiota engineering, to unravel causal relationships between microbial communities and host physiology. This Special Issue aims to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying probiotic–host interactions, the therapeutic potential of postbiotics, and innovative strategies with which to restore gut microbiota balance in disease states. We aspire to synthesize different insights in order to utilize microbial resources for combating gastrointestinal disorders globally and foster the development of next-generation biotherapeutics. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Molecular cross-talk mechanisms governing probiotic–host interactions.
  • Emerging therapeutic applications of postbiotic metabolites.
  • Novel intervention strategies for gut microbiota modulation in pathological conditions.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Fei Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • postbiotics
  • gut microbiota
  • gastrointestinal health
  • gastrointestinal homeostasis
  • fermented foods
  • synthetic biology

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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