Recent advances in in-vitro modelling have provided valuable tools for investigating intestinal microbiome dynamics and host-microbe interactions. Nevertheless, current systems remain complex, costly or challenging to implement consistently, underscoring the need for more accessible and reproducible approaches. This project aims to develop a simplified intestinal epithelial model that incorporates key cellular components, including epithelial cells, immune cells, and bacteria, to better study microbial interactions relevant to the intestinal epithelium in a physiologically relevant setting. Model development has been structured around three aims: establishing a baseline co-culture system, increasing biological complexity, and assessing host responses to bacterial stimuli. Optimisation focused on comparing liquid-liquid interface (LLI) and air-liquid interface (ALI) culture conditions and integrating macrophages into the epithelial model. ALI culture promoted increased mucin production and epithelial differentiation, demonstrated by PCR analysis, and histological assessment. No significant difference in permeability was observed between LLI and ALI conditions, while epithelial height and barrier characteristics were improved under ALI conditions. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) increased throughout epithelial maturation, remained stable following macrophage integration, and decreased following exposure to heat-inactivated LF82 and lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) demonstrated metabolic changes during epithelial differentiation and revealed altered NAD(P)H lifetime profiles in M0 macrophages following exposure to heat-inactivated bacteria, indicating changes in cellular redox metabolism. Ongoing development will focus on establishing a hemi-anaerobic environment to improve bacterial viability and progressing towards organoids-based systems. This model aims to provide an accessible platform for visualising epithelial-immune-bacterial interactions and supporting future studies of intestinal host-microbe mechanisms.