New GIS-Nutricia Research collaboration investigates how nutrition in early life can help prevent diseases
20 March 2014, Singapore - A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Nutricia Research have joined forces to investigate the health benefits of prebiotics[[1]], probiotics[[2]] and synbiotics[[3]].
Under the three-year research collaboration agreement, GIS’ microbial genomics team and the Nutricia Research Early Life Nutrition team will seek to understand the effects of nutrition on the development of intestinal microorganisms or ‘gut microbiome’. These are microbes that exist in harmony with the human host; the composition of which can have an impact on health. It is known that gut microorganisms perform processes that aid digestion, synthesise vitamins, and create essential enzymes not produced by the human body.
Researchers want to investigate how nutrition supports microbiome in early life, can help prevent disease later in life. The Nutricia Research team will be conducting two nutritional clinical studies, while the GIS team will provide state-of-the-art genomic analyses to better understand the complex microbial communities in study populations.
Prof Dr Jan Knol, who is Director of Gut Biology and Microbiology Platform at
Nutricia Research and Professor Intestinal Microbiology of Early Life
at Wageningen University, described the collaboration as "a big step forward with the team at GIS to apply such advanced technologies in our clinical studies."
Dr Kaouther Ben Amor, Senior Team Leader for Gut Microbiology and Physiology at Nutricia Research said, “Gut Microbiology is a key focus area in our research programmes and partnerships like this one are extremely valuable to better understand the interaction between nutrition and the microbiome during the very early phases of life."
Prof Huck Hui Ng, Executive Director at the GIS said, "Microbiome research is an exciting frontier and it leverages on GIS’s core capability to analyse and study the complex community of microbes."
Prof Martin Hibberd, Senior Group Leader for the GIS microbial groupings said "This collaboration will allow us to use our expanding expertise in metagenomics[[4]] to develop a molecular understanding of any benefits associated with healthy microbes."
For media queries and clarifications, please contact:
Winnie LIM
Genome Institute of Singapore
Office of Corporate Communications
Tel: (65) 6808 8013
Email: limcp2@gis.a-star.edu.sg
Pui Kuun NG
R&D Communication Manager
Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition
Tel: (65) 6830 9427
E-mail: puikuun.ng@danone.com