Nathalie Delzenne

At a glance

• Nathalie Delzenne is a full professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences of UCLouvain and a researcher at the Louvain Drug Research Institute, in the Metabolism and Nutrition group.
• For decades her work has focused on the interplay between diet, gut microbiota and metabolism, with particular attention to prebiotic fibres.
• UCLouvain researchers were among the first to show that inulin from chicory root can feed the gut microbiota. In the FOOD4GUT project her team also found these fibres in regional vegetables such as Jerusalem artichoke, salsify, leek and garlic.
• With Patrice Cani she published widely cited work on how gut microbes contribute to obesity, diabetes and low-grade inflammation. Both have appeared for several years on Clarivate’s list of Highly Cited Researchers.
• In 2025 she received the five-yearly FNRS Joseph Maisin Prize for fundamental biomedical sciences and was made a knight of the Walloon Merit. She also co-authored a book of fifty recipes rich in prebiotics.
• For longevity, her work shows how everyday food can influence metabolism and inflammation through the gut microbiota.
• Takeaway: eat vegetables such as leek, onion, garlic, salsify and Jerusalem artichoke regularly; they contain fibres your gut bacteria live on.