dsm-firmenich Announces Five Winners of Pioneering Grant to Boost Gut Health in Asia-Pacific

Five innovative research projects are set to propel gut health research in the Asia-Pacific region.

dsm-firmenich, a leader in nutrition, health, and beauty, has announced the recipients of its inaugural Nutrition Research Grant. A total of €250,000 will be awarded to five distinguished researchers, each receiving €50,000 to support up to 18 months of pioneering research aimed at advancing our understanding of gut health.

The Nutrition Research Grant was created to support nutrition research in the Asia-Pacific region, filling research gaps related to nutrition and health issues within local populations. This year's grant focuses on the theme "Health from the Gut across the Human Lifespan," underscoring the growing recognition of gut health as a fundamental pillar of overall well-being in the region. The grant seeks proposals that explore the individual and combined roles of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), probiotics, and postbiotics, particularly in areas such as early life nutrition, adult nutrition, and healthy aging. The goal is to deepen our understanding of how these "biotics" impact the gut microbiome and influence key health factors like metabolic health, immunity, and even mental health.

The Recipients and Their Research

The recipients of the dsm-firmenich Nutrition Research Grant were chosen after a thorough evaluation by an international panel of experts in the gut microbiome field. The panel reviewed submissions from nine countries across the Asia-Pacific region, selecting five proposals that demonstrated scientific merit, the potential to address critical health issues, and alignment with the theme "Health from the Gut Across the Lifespan."

The evaluation criteria focused on research into HMOs and postbiotics, either independently or in combination with probiotics, to explore their effects on the gut microbiome and related outcomes in immunity, metabolism, aging, and mental health.

Anneleen Spooren, Senior Vice President of Innovation, R&D & Regulatory at dsm-firmenich, commented, “We were highly impressed with the quality of the submissions, which came from nine countries across the Asia-Pacific region. We worked with two leading experts in microbiome and clinical nutrition to select the top five projects. We are excited to collaborate with these researchers to further explore how different biotics can modulate the gut microbiome and deepen our understanding of its relationship to health.”

The five recipients of the Nutrition Research Grant are:

• Asst Prof. Bahrul Fikri, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
  Observational study: HMOs in Breastmilk and their relationship to Gut Bifidobacterium, Vitamin D, and Immune Modulation in Infants

• Assoc Prof. Chong Chun Wie, Monash University, Malaysia
  Randomised Controlled Trial: Assessing the combined effect of HMOs and probiotics on an overweight cohort

• Assoc Prof. Jeremy Lim, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  Pre-clinical study: Identifying postbiotics and 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: Exploring postbiotics and HMOs as modulators of cellular senescence by enhancing gut barrier function

• Prof. Yongsoon Park, Hanyang University, South Korea
  Randomised Controlled Trial: Studying the effects of postbiotics on mood disorders in Korean adults

Tina Low, Senior Vice President, HNC, Asia-Pacific at dsm-firmenich, said, “At dsm-firmenich, we are committed to developing science-backed solutions that address regional health challenges. The Nutrition Research Grant is a manifestation of our mission of 'together elevating health.' By collaborating with the scientific community, we aim to advance gut health research relevant to the diverse lifestyles and diets of Asia-Pacific populations. Gaining a deeper understanding of the effects of our health-from-the-gut ingredients in this region is essential for developing tailored and effective solutions across all life stages.”

About dsm-firmenich
dsm-firmenich is an innovation leader in nutrition, health, and beauty, reinventing and combining essential nutrients, flavors, and fragrances for the world’s growing population. With a focus on natural and renewable ingredients and backed by world-renowned science and technology, the company strives to create solutions that are essential for life, desirable for consumers, and sustainable for the planet. dsm-firmenich is a Swiss-Dutch company, listed on the Euronext Amsterdam, with operations in nearly 60 countries and revenues exceeding €12 billion. With a global team of nearly 30,000 employees, dsm-firmenich brings progress to life™ every day, everywhere, for billions of people.