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Research groups

Michael Bruce Zimmermann

Professor of Human Nutrition

I received my M.D. from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and did postgraduate medical training at the University of California in San Francisco and Berkeley. From 2012-2022, I was Professor of Human Nutrition at the ETH Zurich in Switzerland. From 2006-2011, I was Professor of Micronutrients and International Health at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. I am a Guest Professor in the Endocrinology and Diabetes Section at the Hospital of the University of Zurich, current Chair of the Iodine Global Network, an international NGO, and was a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher (Top 1%) 2017-2024. My research interests include iron metabolism, biomarkers and interventions, nanotechnology, and iron stable isotopes as tracers in human studies.

Key publications

Iron Deficiency Anemia at Time of Vaccination Predicts Decreased Vaccine Response and Iron Supplementation at Time of Vaccination Increases Humoral Vaccine Response: A Birth Cohort Study and a Randomized Trial Follow-Up Study in Kenyan Infants.

Stoffel NU. et al, (2020), Front Immunol, 11

A heat-stable microparticle platform for oral micronutrient delivery.

Anselmo AC. et al, (2019), Sci Transl Med, 11

An intensified training schedule in recreational male runners is associated with increases in erythropoiesis and inflammation and a net reduction in plasma hepcidin.

Moretti D. et al, (2018), Am J Clin Nutr, 108, 1324 - 1333

Iron absorption from oral iron supplements given on consecutive versus alternate days and as single morning doses versus twice-daily split dosing in iron-depleted women: two open-label, randomised controlled trials.

Stoffel NU. et al, (2017), Lancet Haematol, 4, e524 - e533

Iron fortification adversely affects the gut microbiome, increases pathogen abundance and induces intestinal inflammation in Kenyan infants.

Jaeggi T. et al, (2015), Gut, 64, 731 - 742

Iodine deficiency and thyroid disorders.

Zimmermann MB. and Boelaert K., (2015), Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 3, 286 - 295

Direct iodine supplementation of infants versus supplementation of their breastfeeding mothers: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Bouhouch RR. et al, (2014), Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 2, 197 - 209

Afebrile Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia decreases absorption of fortification iron but does not affect systemic iron utilization: a double stable-isotope study in young Beninese women.

Cercamondi CI. et al, (2010), Am J Clin Nutr, 92, 1385 - 1392

Iron from nanocompounds containing iron and zinc is highly bioavailable in rats without tissue accumulation.

Hilty FM. et al, (2010), Nat Nanotechnol, 5, 374 - 380

Nutritional iron deficiency.

Zimmermann MB. and Hurrell RF., (2007), Lancet, 370, 511 - 520

Recent publications

Protecting lactoferrin for iron delivery: Effects of matrix composition and iron loading on gastric stability

Blanco-Doval A. et al, (2026), Food Hydrocolloids, 174

Development of a GC-MS/MS method to quantify 120 gut microbiota-derived metabolites.

Denisov N. et al, (2026), Anal Bioanal Chem, 418, 1035 - 1054

Quantitative analysis of underivatised short-chain fatty acids and simultaneous non-targeted metabolic profiling by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Neef SK. et al, (2026), Microchemical Journal, 221

Linking interpersonal differences in gut microbiota composition and drug biotransformation activity.

Mastrorilli E. et al, (2026), bioRxiv

Gut microbiome-mediated transformation of dietary phytonutrients is associated with health outcomes.

Zhang L. et al, (2026), Nat Microbiol, 11, 94 - 110

The Effects of Salt Fortified with Multiple Nutrients on Health Outcomes in Children, Adolescents, and Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Lall G. et al, (2026), Adv Nutr, 17

Oat protein nanofibril-iron hybrids offer a stable, high-absorption iron delivery platform for iron fortification.

Zhou J. et al, (2025), Nat Food, 6, 1164 - 1175

Development and pilot scale demonstration of encapsulated ferric pyrophosphate premixes for double and multiple fortified salt with vitamins B9,B12, iodine and zinc

Teichman DL. et al, (2025), Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 106

Iron absorption and loss, and efficacy of iron supplementation with and without prebiotics in children with virally suppressed HIV: three prospective studies in South Africa.

Baumgartner J. et al, (2025), Nat Commun, 16

Getting back on track to meet global anaemia reduction targets: a Lancet Haematology Commission.

Atkinson SH. et al, (2025), Lancet Haematol, 12, e717 - e767

ATF6 activation alters colonic lipid metabolism causing tumour-associated microbial adaptation.

Coleman OI. et al, (2025), Nat Metab, 7, 1830 - 1850

Urinary iodine concentration and its associations with iodized table salt and thyroid parameters during pregnancy in Algeria.

Oudahmane-Akdader S. et al, (2025), Afr J Reprod Health, 29, 123 - 130

Zinc absorption from maize-based meals enriched with edible house crickets: a randomized crossover stable-isotope study in Kenyan pre-school children.

Hilaj N. et al, (2025), Nat Commun, 16

A sentinel survey in remote Western Thailand indicates that school-aged children and reproductive-aged women of the Indigenous Pwo Karen community are iodine sufficient.

Joompa P. et al, (2025), Br J Nutr, 133, 1 - 6

Galacto-oligosaccharides alone and combined with lactoferrin impact the Kenyan infant gut microbiota and epithelial barrier integrity during iron supplementation in vitro.

Rachmühl C. et al, (2025), Microbiome Res Rep, 4

Establishing an in vitro pipeline for the high-throughput quantification of epithelial permeability of gut bacterial metabolites

Brauer-Nikonow A. et al, (2025)

A toolkit for transposon libraries and functional genomics in intestinal Bacteroidales

Voogdt CGP. et al, (2025)

Vitamin C-Rich Guava Consumed with Mungbean Dal Reduces Anemia and Increases Hemoglobin but not Iron Stores: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Food-to-Food Fortification in Indian Children.

Rani V. et al, (2024), J Nutr, 154, 3740 - 3748

Synthesis of trisaccharide antigens featuring colitose, abequose and fucose residues and assessment of antibody binding on antigen arrays.

Podvalnyy NM. et al, (2024), Carbohydr Res, 545

Emergence of community behaviors in the gut microbiota upon drug treatment.

Garcia-Santamarina S. et al, (2024), Cell, 187, 6346 - 6357.e20

Pervasive sublethal effects of agrochemicals on insects at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Gandara L. et al, (2024), Science, 386, 446 - 453

Effects of iron supplements and iron-containing micronutrient powders on the gut microbiome in Bangladeshi infants: a randomized controlled trial.

Baldi A. et al, (2024), Nat Commun, 15

Iron Absorption from an Iron-Fortified Follow-Up Formula with and without the Addition of a Synbiotic or a Human-Identical Milk Oligosaccharide: A Randomized Crossover Stable Isotope Study in Young Thai Children.

Scheuchzer P. et al, (2024), J Nutr, 154, 2988 - 2998

Measurement of iron absorption and iron gains from birth to 6 months in breastfed and formula-fed infants using iron isotope dilution.

Stoffel NU. et al, (2024), Sci Adv, 10

Stable iron (58Fe) isotopic measurements in Kenyan toddlers during 3 months of iron supplementation demonstrate that half of the iron absorbed is lost.

Giorgetti A. et al, (2024), Br J Haematol, 204, 2057 - 2065

Iron status in Swiss adolescents with paediatric major depressive disorder and healthy controls: a matched case-control study.

Osuna E. et al, (2024), Eur J Nutr, 63, 951 - 963

Gut Microbiome Integration in Drug Discovery and Development of Small Molecules.

Jimonet P. et al, (2024), Drug Metab Dispos, 52, 274 - 287

Prebiotics increase iron absorption and reduce the adverse effects of iron on the gut microbiome and inflammation: a randomized controlled trial using iron stable isotopes in Kenyan infants.

Mikulic N. et al, (2024), Am J Clin Nutr, 119, 456 - 469

Alternate day versus consecutive day oral iron supplementation in iron-depleted women: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

von Siebenthal HK. et al, (2023), EClinicalMedicine, 65

Associations of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status and intake with paediatric major depressive disorder in Swiss adolescents: A case-control study.

Osuna E. et al, (2023), J Affect Disord, 339, 355 - 365

The Effect of Zinc Biofortified Wheat Produced via Foliar Application on Zinc Status: A Randomized, Controlled Trial in Indian Children.

Signorell C. et al, (2023), J Nutr, 153, 3092 - 3100

Biofortified Yellow-Fleshed Potatoes Provide More Absorbable Zinc than a Commonly Consumed Variety: A Randomized Trial Using Stable Isotopes in Women in the Peruvian Highlands.

Liria-Domínguez R. et al, (2023), J Nutr, 153, 2893 - 2900

Effect of dietary factors and time of day on iron absorption from oral iron supplements in iron deficient women.

von Siebenthal HK. et al, (2023), Am J Hematol, 98, 1356 - 1363

Validation of a batch cultivation protocol for fecal microbiota of Kenyan infants.

Rachmühl C. et al, (2023), BMC Microbiol, 23

Estimating habitual iodine intake and prevalence of inadequacy from spot urine in cross-sectional studies: a modeling analysis to determine the required sample size.

Arns-Glaser L. et al, (2023), Am J Clin Nutr, 117, 1270 - 1277

Total Iron Absorbed from Iron-Biofortified Potatoes Is Higher than that from Nonbiofortified Potatoes: A Randomized Trial Using Stable Iron Isotopes in Women from the Peruvian Highlands.

Burgos G. et al, (2023), J Nutr, 153, 1710 - 1717

Associations of HIV and iron status with gut microbiota composition, gut inflammation and gut integrity in South African school-age children: a two-way factorial case-control study.

Goosen C. et al, (2023), J Hum Nutr Diet, 36, 819 - 832

The remarkable impact of iodisation programmes on global public health.

Zimmermann MB., (2023), Proc Nutr Soc, 82, 113 - 119

Regulation of iron absorption in infants.

von Siebenthal HK. et al, (2023), Am J Clin Nutr, 117, 607 - 615

Ferric Pyrophosphate Forms Soluble Iron Coordination Complexes with Zinc Compounds and Solubilizing Agents in Extruded Rice and Predicts Increased Iron Solubility and Bioavailability in Young Women.

Scheuchzer P. et al, (2023), J Nutr, 153, 636 - 644

The Prevention of Iodine Deficiency: A History.

Pearce EN. and Zimmermann MB., (2023), Thyroid, 33, 143 - 149

The effects of 2'-fucosyllactose and lacto-N-neotetraose, galacto-oligosaccharides, and maternal human milk oligosaccharide profile on iron absorption in Kenyan infants.

Giorgetti A. et al, (2023), Am J Clin Nutr, 117, 64 - 72

The effect of dechitinization on iron absorption from mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) flour added to maize meals: stable-isotope studies in young females with low iron stores.

Hilaj N. et al, (2022), Am J Clin Nutr, 116, 1135 - 1145

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Research groups

Michael Bruce Zimmermann

Key publications

Recent publications