I am exploring the bidirectional interaction between gut microbiota and nutritional interventions in early life that could lead to the future direction of nutritional therapy coupled with microbial interventions. I am using selected bacterial strains and an isocaloric (deficient in proteins and fat) diet for the development of a new class of nutritional interventions in germ-free/gnotobiotic animal models with a future target of malnourished children during the window of opportunity ( first 1000 days).