Gut microbiota in inflammatory bowel diseases: moving from basic science to clinical applications

In recent years, large efforts have been made to unravel the role of the gut microbiota in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastro-intestinal tract. Considering the heterogeneity patients with IBD display in their disease course and response to treatment, there is a big need in translating these findings towards clinical practise. In this perspective article, we discuss strategies to facilitate the transition from basic science on gut microbiota in IBD to clinical applications. We suggest that setting gold standards, improving and increasing the biobanking efforts, and studying other members of the gut microbiota are a necessary step to reveal the exact role of the gut microbiota in IBD. In addition, we discuss the potential of the gut microbiome as a clinical tool for the diagnoses, prediction and/or treatment of the disease. We believe that the growing interest in the gut microbiota will reveal its potential in the management of IBD in a not too distant future.