The number of older people worldwide is steadily increasing and it is predicted that by 2050 the number of people over 60 will exceed that of those under 15. In addition, the findings of the Global Burden of Disease Report 2021 indicate that the older we get, the more likely we are to develop diseases such as Alzheimer's and metabolic diseases. The ageing process can be accompanied by functional impairment of cells, tissues and organs, as well as changes in the immune system, which ultimately lead to death. The mechanisms underlying healthy ageing and, in particular, the influence of nutrition have not yet been conclusively clarified.

We are investigating how dietary ingredients and alcohol affect gut barrier function and the role these changes play in the development of MASLD and ALD. In particular, we look at the interaction of the gut and liver in the development of ALD and MASLD as well as age-associated degenerative liver changes.

The interaction between nutrition and the immune response has come into focus, and not just since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In addition to viral infections, bacterial infections also continue to lead to deaths. The results of our own and other studies show that diet and, in particular, secondary plant compounds, for example from hops but also from other plants, can influence the immune system and alter the inflammatory response triggered by bacterial substances. How different nutritional patterns and food components modulate the immune system and thus influence the course of infection has not yet been conclusively clarified.