USA – Novonesis, a Danish biosolutions company, has entered into partnership with the University of California (UC) San Diego to establish a pioneering research consortium focused on human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs).
Anchored to UC San Diego’s esteemed Human Milk Institute (HMI), the collaboration aims to foster the field of synbiotics forward by deepening our understanding of HMOs and exploring their potential applications.
“The goal of the research consortium is to gain a better understanding of what HMOs are capable of doing on a deep mechanistic level and then create novel applications guided by the generated knowledge. We let science speak first,” Dr. Lars Bode, the founding director of the HMI said.
Synbiotics, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, hold promise for promoting health outcomes. However, not all combinations are equally effective.
The collaboration between HMI and Novonesis aims to leverage scientific insights to develop smart, targeted synbiotics tailored to specific health needs.
In the initial phase of the partnership, Novonesis is providing start-up funding for five interconnected seed grants, along with HMOs and probiotics for research purposes.
These grants will facilitate collaborative research efforts among experts in various fields, fostering innovation and interdisciplinary synergy.
Dr. Bode emphasized the innovative approach of engaging experts who may not have previously worked with HMOs, noting that this diversity of expertise sparks innovation.
The consortium seeks to activate new areas of research and create a meaningful collective impact.
The research consortium endeavors to bridge the gap between the scientific community and the industry, facilitating knowledge exchange and advancing HMOs’ understanding and application in synbiotics.
Dr. Bode envisions broader applications of HMOs and synbiotics beyond infant health, driven by a bottom-up discovery approach.
By understanding HMOs’ molecular and cellular effects, researchers can explore their potential implications for various health conditions.
The collaboration between HMI and Novonesis has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by translating scientific discoveries into safe and effective therapeutics.
“This approach has the potential to transform the way we address some of the biggest health challenges in the world,” Dr. Bode concluded.
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