To further increase the understanding of the microbiome’s impact on human health and to accelerate the development of innovative nutritional solutions promoting health and wellbeing, Nestlé has entered into a partnership with the University of California San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation (CMI).
The partnership builds on the CMI’s world-class microbiome expertise which complements Nestlé’s research capabilities on the connection between nutrition and the gut microbiome.
The microbiome is the vast community of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live on and inside the body. An important part of the microbiome is located in the gut where it is essential to digesting the food we eat, the immune system, and other aspects of health.
Over many years, Nestlé has studied the gut microbiome and its evolving composition throughout different life stages, from birth to aging, in humans and pets. This research has been translated into products that help maintain healthy digestion and wellbeing for different populations. The current portfolio includes products containing probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics to improve digestion.
Nestlé has also researched Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs), a major component of breastmilk that has been shown to influence early life microbiome establishment and development of the immune system. The findings were leveraged to launch new infant formulas that include HMOs.
More recently, Nestlé Purina launched Calming Care, an innovative probiotic-based nutritional supplement tailored for the management of anxious behavior in dogs.
“The microbiome is an important research area for us.” Said Isabelle Bureau-Franz, Head of Nestlé Research. “In addition to the continuous development of our innovative products, we are investing in long-term research enabling us to provide the next generation of personalized nutritional solutions adapted to the individual’s microbiome.”
The partnership with CMI opens new opportunities for accelerating microbiome discoveries through joint research programs and access to scientific and technological capabilities complementing those already existing within the Nestlé research and development network. The partnership will also provide the opportunity to work with young talents in the frame of CMI’s PhD student and postdoctoral programs.
“The CMI is glad to have another great company such as Nestlé, joining our group of industry partners to support the rapid growth of microbiome knowledge, so that we can witness a continued acceleration of the application of this field in everyone’s daily life for increased wellness and health,” stated Professor Rob Knight, Faculty Director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at UC San Diego.
About the Center for Microbiome Innovation
The Center for Microbiome Innovation exists to inspire, nurture, and sustain vibrant collaborations between UC San Diego Microbiome experts and industry. The Center encompasses a large range of expertise in microbiome sampling, a broad range of technologies (metagenomics, metabolomics, metatranscriptomics) and data analysis using high-performance algorithms, machine learning, and modeling. The ultimate goal is to increase knowledge of the microbiome’s impact on human health and the environment with an eye to providing innovative solutions and treatment to major diseases as well as prolonging wellness.
