dsm-firmenich has vouched to award €250,000 to five gut health-focused researchers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region through its Nutrition Research Grant scheme.
Each recipient will receive up to €50,000 to support 18 months of research linked to gut health and the science behind it.
The company's Nutrition Research Grant was created to support researchers in advancing nutrition research, as well as addressing knowledge gaps in the general public.
This first round of nutrition grants provided by dsm-firmenich is centered on "health from the gut across the human lifespan", and highlights the influential nature of gut health on overall wellbeing throughout the APAC region.
Researchers awarded the grant will look into the role of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), probiotics and postbiotics in areas such as early life nutrition and healthy ageing.
They will also focus on the role of biotics in metabolic health, immunity and mental health during the 18 month funding period.
The recipients and what they're planning
dsm-firmenich determined who would receive its Nutrition Research Grant through the verdict of an international panel of experts in the gut microbiome niche.
Together, they selected five proposals that could address notable health issues affecting the APAC population.
Selection criteria emphasised studies investigating HMOs and postbiotics, either independently or in combination with probiotics, to explore their effects on the gut microbiome and subsequent impacts on immunity, metabolism, ageing and mental health.
The five recipients of the grant were:
- Asst Prof. Bahrul Fikri, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
Observational study: HMOs in breastmilk and their relation to gut Bifodobacterium, vitamin D and immune modulation in infants
- Assoc Prof. Chong Chun Wie, Monash University, Malaysia
Randomised controlled trial: assessing the combination effect of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and probiotics on an overweight cohort
- Assoc Prof. Jeremy Lim, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Pre-clinical study: identification of postbiotics and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) that improve gut microbiome and host health in Asian adults
- Prof. Ji-Yeon Kim, Seoul National University of Science & Technology, South Korea
Animal model study: postbiotics and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) as a modulator of cellular senescence by enhancing gut barrier function
- Prof. Yongsoon Park, Hanyang University, South Korea
Randomised controlled trial: effects of postbiotics on mood disorders in Korean adults
Anneleen Spooren, Senior Vice President, Innovation, R&D & Regulatory, Health, Nutrition and Care (HNC), dsm-firmenich remarked, “Applications came in from nine different countries across the Asia-Pacific region and we engaged two key-opinion leaders in microbiome and clinical nutrition to select the top five projects. We are excited to work closely with these researchers to uncover how different biotics can modulate the gut microbiome and to expand our knowledge of the microbiome-health relationship.”
“At dsm-firmenich, we are deeply committed to delivering science-backed solutions that elevate preventive health and address region-specific challenges,” said Senior Vice President, HNC, Asia-Pacific at dsm-firmenich, Tina Low.
“The Nutrition Research Grant embodies our mission of 'together elevating health' by fostering collaboration with the scientific community to advance gut health research relevant to the unique lifestyles and diets of Asia-Pacific populations. Understanding the effects of our health-from-the-gut ingredients in this diverse region is critical to developing more tailored and efficacious solutions across life stages.”