Glenn Gibson. Professor Glenn Gibson holding open his laboratory coat to reveal an artificial gut that models the human intestines. The model contains real gut bacteria. By identifying the chemicals that the bacteria produce, their health effects can be assessed. Certain bacteria found in the intestines are thought to cause or protect against diseases like irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis and bowel cancer. The system can also be used to test the effects of prebiotics, nutrients that are eaten to aid the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. Gibson led the team from Reading University, England, that built the artificial gut.