MODEL RELEASED. Artificial gut. Researcher taking a sample from an artificial gut used to model the human intestines. The fluid will be tested for the chemicals produced by the bacteria living in the system. From this, the health effects of the bacteria can be assessed. Certain bacteria found in the intestines are thought to cause or protect against diseases such as 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 encourage the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. The artificial gut was built at Reading University, England, by a team led by Professor Glenn Gibson.