Animal Science

The gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals hosts an abundant and diverse community of microorganisms - intestinal microbiota, which is vital for the host (digestion, immune system ..). Nutrition plays an important role in the development of microbiota and microbiome (collective genome) of the gut. All over the world the research of microbiome is strongly encouraged in order to transfer these findings as quickly as possible in the applications in animal husbandry, in the protection of health, therapies and environmental protection.

The program Nutrition and microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract (P4-0097) is carried out at the Department of Animal Science and Department of Microbiology (Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana), in cooperation with the EMONA Nutrition Research & Development Department. The group, which is currently leaded by sen. res. fell. dr. Bojana Bogovič Matijašić brings together 20 researchers, 5 young researchers and 3 technicians, from the Institute of Dairy Science and Probiotics (Department of Animal Science),  Chair of Microbial Diversity, Microbiomics and Biotechnology (Department of Microbiology), and Chair of nutrition (Department of Animal Science). We are distinguished by interdisciplinarity, since among us are biologists, microbiologists, food technologists, zootechnics, biotechnologists, chemists and biochemists. We study how human and animal nutrition affects microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract (microbiota, microbiome), through them the host organism (immune system, metabolism) and through animals also the nutritional value and quality of animal products. We also pay great attention to the study of the associated negative environmental impacts, through animal excreta and organic waste, which can be reduced by modulating the microbiota and through the degradation of organic substrates, with the simultaneous formation of biogas (methane, hydrogen).