Researchers at University of Galway have created the world’s largest collection of digital microbes - nearly a quarter million computer models - to help revolutionise our understanding of the human microbiome and its impact on health. This study focuses on the bacterial microbiome - the communities of bacteria living in and on our bodies. The team created APOLLO, a collection of 247,092 advanced computer models, each representing the unique metabolic processes of a distinct microbe found within these communities. The unprecedented database will allow scientists to use software to study how microbes function within the human body and interact with health and disease, to accelerate new health discoveries, which would otherwise solely rely on cumbersome experiments using living organisms. Spanning multiple continents, age groups and body sites, APOLLO is the most extensive computational model collection of the human microbiome created to date. The research project builds upon the team’s decade-long expertise, from earlier AGORA (hundreds of microbes) and AGORA2 (thousands of microbes) generations. The team also created 14,451 computer simulations of individual microbiome communities, based on real-life samples, to reveal how microbial metabolism varies by body site, age, and health conditions. The APOLLO simulations also predicted key faecal metabolites linked to Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and child undernutrition – insights that could help shape future diagnostic and treatment strategies. The work was conducted by a team of scientists at University of Galway’s Digital Metabolic Twin Centre, led by Professor Ines Thiele, a principal investigator with APC Microbiome Ireland - Research Ireland centre for the study of microbiological community, hosted by University College Cork. Professor Thiele’s research team uses computational modelling to advance precision health. How APOLLO will benefit society: Improved diagnostics - by identifying microbial metabolic markers, APOLLO could help develop non-invasive diagnostic tools, allowing earlier and more accurate diagnosis. Personalised treatments - simulations can predict how an individual’s microbiome interacts with their diet, medications, and health conditions. This could lead to tailored treatments that optimise gut health and improve responses to therapies. Drug development and probiotics - it may be possible to design targeted probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiome-based therapies to treat specific diseases more effectively. Public Health insights - by including diverse microbiomes, APOLLO provides a global perspective, helping address how modern lifestyles impact microbiome health. This knowledge shall guide public health policies, such as around antibiotic use, diet, and disease prevention.   Dr Cyrille Thinnes, project scientist, said: “APOLLO marks a major milestone in personalised microbiome modelling on a global scale. Our microbiome plays crucial roles in digestion, immune function, and overall health. Studying these microbes is essential for understanding how they influence various conditions, from gut health to neurological diseases, and for developing new diagnostic tools, treatments, and personalise healthcare solutions. “APOLLO captures an unprecedented diversity of microbes across continents, demographics and body sites, filling critical gaps in global health research. It addresses pressing concerns about the impact of westernised lifestyles, characterised by sedentary habits, processed diets and antibiotic overuse, on microbial diversity and functions. By including understudied non-westernised populations and body sites beyond the gut, APOLLO provides a vital resource for advancing microbiome research and its applications.” Professor Ines Thiele, study lead on the project, said: “The human microbiome is a vital player in health and disease, dynamically interacting with its host. Understanding these complex interactions requires cutting-edge technology. Our research integrates digital models of both microbes and humans, enabling us to explore the microbiome’s role in health in unprecedented detail. “APOLLO takes this innovation further by incorporating microbiome communities on a dimension to now enable personalisation on a global scale. “Over the past decade, we have gone from a single generic human model to detailed models that account for sex, physiology, and individual organs. Similarly, we started with models of a few microbes and have now expanded to cover hundreds of thousands. These models can further incorporate information on dietary habits and health conditions, helping to generate testable hypotheses and personalised health recommendations. APOLLO represents a major step in the shift towards digital twin-enabled precision healthcare, moving us closer to tailoring health solutions for individuals worldwide.” The research was published in Cell Systems and is available at https://www.cell.com/cell-systems/fulltext/S2405-4712(25)00029-8 This work was led by University of Galway in collaboration with colleagues in Ireland, France, and Italy, at University College Cork, University College Dublin, APC Microbiome Ireland, University of Lorraine, and University of Padova. Ends

University of Galway has launched its Pocket Forest project, planting a new 100m2 native woodland on campus.    Led by the Pocket Forests social enterprise, the mini-woodland was created by a team made up of university staff and students, Transition Year students from Coláiste Muire Máthair, Galway, community volunteers and Brendan Smith from Terryland Forest Park.   Supported by Lifes2Good Foundation, the Pocket Forest is located on North campus behind the Institute for Lifecourse and Society. It will compare the close planting of young native trees in one half with more conventional urban tree planting of wide-spaced semi-mature trees in the other half. More than 200 of the saplings were sourced from the Pocket Forests nursery in Shelton Abbey Open Prison, which enables prisoners to learn about growing and caring for native trees, giving them a role in climate and biodiversity actions.   Professor Frances Fahy, Professor of Geography and Director of the Ryan Institute, University of Galway, said: “The University of Galway Pocket Forest is a fantastic example of how we can integrate biodiversity conservation, wellbeing and environmental education. By planting native species at the heart of our campus, it enhances biodiversity while providing a peaceful environment for students and staff. This initiative shows that by making use of the small pockets of space around us, we can all contribute to tackling the ecological crisis.”   Maurice McQuillan, CEO of the Lifes2Good Foundation, said: “As a foundation based in Galway, we are delighted to support the work of Pocket Forests in the University of Galway as they research the idea of making space for nature in urban areas. The University of Galway is a great location for us all to learn about the importance of preserving native Irish trees and at the same time enjoy the greening of the campus.”   To mark the launch of the Pocket Forest, University of Galway hosted a roundtable discussion where academics and researchers working in sustainability and environmental climate change came together to discuss ways in which the Pocket Forest could add value to their teaching, research and outreach, and deliver meaningful impact to the campus and the wider community. The event concluded with a documentary screening of The Forest Midwife by Beta Bajgart followed by a Q&A with some of the key creative minds behind the project.   The film was supported by the University’s Ryan Institute and tells the story of forest regeneration through the eyes of Pocket Forests co-founder, journalist, writer and environmentalist, Catherine Cleary, along with her family, friends and new neighbours. After a ten-year stint as Restaurant Critic for The Irish Times, Catherine Cleary took a mid-life step into the unknown in 2020, purchasing a craggy piece of land in Roscommon that she would later transform into a thriving forest and nature reserve.    Catherine Cleary said: “We urgently need reforestation of native woodlands across Ireland, but trees and shrubs also play a crucial role in making urban areas more live-able. The Pocket Forests team is looking forward to working with staff and students at the University of Galway to explore the best ways to bring nature-based solutions to our towns and cities to make them happier and healthier places.”   Watch the trailer of The Forest Midwife documentary here: https://vimeo.com/984388904   Ends

Tugann Ollscoil na Gaillimhe cuireadh do gach mac léinn a bhfuil cúrsa iarchéime á bhreithniú acu chuig a lá oscailte, áit a mbeidh deis acu cíoradh a dhéanamh ar roghanna staidéir agus a gcéad chéim acadúil eile a phleanáil. Beidh an Lá Oscailte Iarchéime ar siúl ar champas na hOllscoile Déardaoin, an 20 Feabhra ó 12-3pm i Halla Bailey Allen. Tá breis agus 200 rogha foghlama ann, ina measc roghanna solúbtha, ar líne agus cumaiscthe. Tabharfaidh an ócáid seo deis do dhaoine gairmiúla, céimithe agus mic léinn reatha fiosrú a dhéanamh ar an raon éagsúil clár iarchéime lánaimseartha agus páirtaimseartha atá ar fáil in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, lena n-áirítear máistreachtaí múinte agus máistreachtaí taighde, chomh maith le roghanna taighde dochtúireachta. Beidh comhaltaí foirne acadúla ar fáil chun bualadh le mic léinn ionchasacha agus chun roghanna staidéir, riachtanais iontrála, eispéireas mac léinn agus conairí gairme a phlé. Beidh comhaltaí foirne tacaíochta iarchéime ar an láthair chomh maith chun iarratais, iontrálacha, scoláireachtaí, maoiniú agus táillí a phlé. Beidh turais den champas ar siúl i rith an lae ar a dtabharfar deis do mhic léinn ionchasacha blaiseadh a fháil de na háiseanna teagaisc agus foghlama úrnua agus nuálaíocha ar an gcampas. Bhí an méid seo le rá ag Caroline Duggan, an Ceannasaí Earcaíochta Fochéime & Iarchéime, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Bunchloch de thiomantas Ollscoil na Gaillimhe tacú le foghlaim ar feadh an tsaoil agus le dul chun cinn acadúil is ea an Lá Oscailte Iarchéime. Tugann an ócáid seo deis uathúil do mhic léinn iarchéime ionchasacha teagmháil dhíreach a dhéanamh le comhaltaí foirne acadúla agus le mic léinn reatha, eolas a fháil faoinár n-áiseanna den scoth agus faoin gcaoi ar féidir leis an Ollscoil cabhrú leo a bhfuil uathu a bhaint amach i dtéarmaí acadúla agus gairme. Dearadh ár gcláir iarchéime chun réimse leathan deiseanna gairme a oscailt do mhic léinn agus na scileanna agus an t-eolas a thabhairt dóibh chun gairmeacha a fhorbairt a bheidh in ann déileáil le dúshláin an mhargaidh fostaíochta amach anseo.” Moltar do dhaoine clárú roimh ré anseo https://www.universityofgalway.ie/postgraduate-open-day/. Críoch