New GIS-Nutricia Research collaboration investigates how nutrition in early life can help prevent diseases
1. 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]].
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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."
5. 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."
6. 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."
7. 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
Pui Kuun NG
R&D Communication Manager
Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition
Tel: (65) 6830 9427
About the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS)
The Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) is an institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). It has a global vision that seeks to use genomic sciences to improve public health and public prosperity. Established in 2001 as a centre for genomic discovery, the GIS will pursue the integration of technology, genetics and biology towards the goal of individualized medicine.
The key research areas at the GIS include Human Genetics, Infectious Diseases, Cancer Therapeutics and Stratified Oncology, Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Cancer Stem Cell Biology, Genomic Technologies, Computational and Systems Biology, and Translational Technologies.
The genomics infrastructure at the GIS is utilized to train new scientific talent, to function as a bridge for academic and industrial research, and to explore scientific questions of high impact.
For more information about GIS, please go online: www.gis.a-star.edu.sg
About Nutricia Research
Nutricia Research is the R&D organisation behind Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition and Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition. We bring health through food to as many people as possible, particularly those who need special care. Science is at the heart of our nutrition and health commitment. Thus we focus our skills and resources to deliver evidence-based specialised nutrition to infants, young children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, patients and the elderly. This helps individuals to build, establish and preserve their health capital during early life and later in life.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that fosters world-class scientific research and talent to drive economic growth and transform Singapore into a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation driven economy.
In line with its mission-oriented mandate, A*STAR spearheads research and development in fields that are essential to growing Singapore’s manufacturing sector and catalysing new growth industries. A*STAR supports these economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry.
A*STAR oversees 18 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research entities, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their vicinity. These two R&D hubs house a bustling and diverse community of local and international research scientists and engineers from A*STAR’s research entities as well as a growing number of corporate laboratories. For more information about A*STAR, please go online:
www.a-star.edu.sg
[[1]]Prebiotics: non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Feb 2001; http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/73/2/361s.full
[[2]]Probiotics: organisms and substances that contribute to intestinal microbial balance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Feb 2001
[[3]] Synbiotic: a product that contains both probiotics and prebiotics. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Feb 2001
[[4]] Metagenomics: A technology used to analyse microbial DNA extracted from communities in specific environments. Metagenomics can unlock massive uncultured microbial diversity present in any environment - providing new molecules for therapeutic and biotechnological applications. Nature Reviews; www.nature.com/nrmicro/focus/metagenomics/index.html
