Kiel Microbiome Platform supports landmark study of maternal influence on the infant gut microbiome

The study followed 714 mother–infant pairs from the Lifelines NEXT birth cohort and identified the maternal gut microbiome as the primary source of bacteria colonizing the infant gut. In the mentioned study, researchers from the University Medical Center Groningen and international collaborators completed one of the world's most comprehensive studies of the pregnancy and early-life gut microbiome.   

The study found that, alongside maternal microbial transmission, factors including mode of delivery and infant feeding strongly influence infant gut microbiome development. Maternal pre-pregnancy and pregnancy-related factors, as well as environmental exposures, were also associated with the developing microbiome. Importantly, the researchers identified an association between the maternal gut microbiome and infant eczema, highlighting the potential relevance of maternal microbial health for infant health. 

The study provides an extensive resource for understanding how the infant microbiome develops and how early-life microbial exposures may influence health. Future research in the Lifelines NEXT cohort will extend the work to 1,500 mother–infant pairs and integrate additional microbial niches and immune-system data.

A main experimental contribution to this large-scale study came from the Kiel Microbiome Platform at Kiel University and demonstrates the importance of robust microbiome sample processing and sequencing as a foundation for large-scale longitudinal microbiome research studies. The Kiel Microbiome Platform brings together infrastructure and expertise for microbiome research at Kiel University. Its capabilities support the processing and molecular characterisation of microbiome samples, enabling collaborations across disciplines and institutions.

You can find the complete news here https://umcgresearch.org/w/new-research-highlights-the-maternal-impact-on-the-infant-gut-microbiome-and-health. 

Original publication:

Sinha T, Brushett S, Fernández-Pato A, Garmaeva S, Andreu-Sánchez S, Spreckels JE, Mallon CA, Kuzub N, Gois MB, Wu J, Kruk M, Jankipersadsing SA, Dekens JAM, Gacesa R, Vila AV, Bang C, Perenboom C, Franke A, Tytgat HLP, Mottaz SC, Peters L, de Jonge A, Verkade HJ, Swertz MA, Wijmenga C, Kuipers F, Scherjon S, Sikkema J, Sprikkelman AB, de Kroon MLA, Prins JR, Gordijn SJ, Koppelman GH, Reijneveld SA; Lifelines NEXT cohort study; Fu J, Yassour M, Kurilshikov A, Zhernakova A. 

Maternal influences on infant gut microbiome and health. 

Nature. 2026 Aug 12. doi: 10.1038/s41586-026-10922-9.