About this Research Topic

Background

Among 100 trillion microbes in human gastrointestinal (GI) tract, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Helicobacter pylori, Streptococcus, and Lactobacillus are the bacteria-of-interest. Their major functions are food digestion, manufacturing vitamins, and preparing human immune system, but abundantly colonized microbes and their imbalance lead to severe diseases. Among them, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s, cancer, obesity, and gastroenteritis are main GI tract diseases. Ignorance and late treatment can turn the diseases into metastasis, weak immune system, and ultimately death. Therefore, timely and reliable detection of these bacterial infections are primary concern in medical sciences. Therefore, objective of this Research Topic will be highlighting innovative research and hypothesis in the field of mechanism of GI bacteria, associated diseases, conventional and sensor based identification, and role of Nanomaterials in microbes sensing.

Different types of biosensors, based on direct and indirect detection methods, have been described in microbiome detection. The portability of the instrumentation has been approached with the
development of cheaper, small-sized scanners and with software for the analysis of video images using mobile devices. Each biosensor technique has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of the equipment required, sensitivity, simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices have a strong potential to be used in the field, since they can be miniaturized and automated, being potentially fast and very sensitive. In general, discrimination at species level can be achieved either using nucleic acid probes, or antibody based sensors. New fields of investigation include -Omic studies, combining metabolome complexity and secondary metabolite analysis.

The goal of proposed theme is to cover the detail from conventional methods such as cultural Colonies Forming Units (CFU) counting and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to advancement such as nanotechnology based on-sensors for GI bacterium detection. Present themed issue will target importance of healthy GI micro-organisms and their associated disease in case of microbes imbalance followed by explaining technological aspects of diagnostic advancements and their practical implementation in clinical field. It will also focus on the studies include electrochemical transducer based on immunosensors, aptamer-based sensors, and enzyme-based sensing devices. We will also be targeting next generation technologies, i.e nanotechnology based optical sensors or lab-on-chip for direct microbes detection. Proposed themed issue of the journal will promote metal-oxide frameworks (MOF), quantum dots (QDs), perovskites, and upconversion nanoparticles (UPNPs) based sensing platform for GI bacteria. To further explain the need of reliable on-spot sensors, the role of device miniaturization and their market evaluation will be also included. The last section of the themed journal will focus on the role of nation-wise regulatory authorities to promote human health- welfare and next-generation advances at industrial scale on-spot device development. It will also describe the latest innovations such as 3D imaging to monitor and maintain bacterial growth in GI tract.

This proposed Research Topic will focus on GI-associated microbes and the development of on-spot sensor for their identification.
• Mechanism of action of healthy and pathogenic bacteria in GI tracts
• Difference between conventional and latest innovations in GI specific bacteria identification
• Electrochemical, optical, and colorimetric sensors for on-spot bacteria detection
• Emerging lab-on-chip, CRISPR-Cas, and microfluidic sensors for intestinal disease detection in economical countries
• Practical applicability of wireless and 3D imaging based sensors for real time GI bacterial growth monitoring
• Fundamentals of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and Digital technologies for healthy GI pathogens management at industry level
• Industrial advancement in GI-sensitive sensor production with public-quality assurance
• Rules and regulatory aspects for bacterial management

Keywords: Microbes, Health safety, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Electrochemical sensor, Optical Sensor, Colorimetric Sensor, Nanotechnology, bacteria, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus, Salmonella, Helicobacter pylori, Lactobacillus, immune system, detection, disease, identification

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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