Research to be presented by microbiologist Stephen O’Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix Health, at the Microbiome R&D and Business Collaboration Congress: Asia in Hong Kong on 1-2 March 2017 will demonstrate that OptiBiotix’s microbiome modulators can increase the growth and biological effect of specific microbial species in the human microbiome.
The oral presentation will show that OptiBiotix’s microbiome modulators have successfully increased the growth and biological effect of multiple species of microbe in human gut models, including their own cholesterol-reducing probiotic, LP-LDL. By using the microbiome modulator, LPGOS, to increase the growth of LP-LDL researchers reduced cholesterol as much as 27%.
This new research from OptiBiotix demonstrates the potential for the development of species or genera-specific probiotics to selectively enhance the growth and health benefits of existing probiotics.
In addition, there is the potential for microbiome modulators, which selectively modify an individual’s microbiome to improve health, to be added to a range of food products.
Stephen O’Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, commented: “The ability to create designer ingredients that can modify an individual’s microbiome to improve health is a hugely exciting development in global microbiome research and product development. I believe we are fast approaching the next stage in the development of the microbiome in healthcare, where scientists have the ability to precision engineer components of the microbiome to prevent, manage and treat many of today’s chronic lifestyle diseases.”
The human microbiome
The human digestive tract contains a complex and diverse ecosystem of trillions of bacteria. Recently, advances in molecular and analytical techniques (metagenomics, metabolomics) have permitted identification and quantitation of species and strains of bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, their metabolic activity, and interactions with the human host.
These studies have provided greater insight into the role of gut and their metabolites in health and disease.
