Chr. Hansen steps up human microbiome research

CHR. HANSEN has taken another leap forward in the study of the human microbiome. The company which is funding an R&D consortium with partners, the University of Aberdeen (UK), the University of Groningen (NL) and the University of Wageningen (NL), aims to boost its capabilities and gain access to renowned bio-banks of human gut bacteria.

“Chr. Hansen has been a world leader in fermentation technology for 140 years and we have one of the industry’s strongest technological platforms for the production of microbes,” says Cees de Jong, CEO, Chr. Hansen. “We are now using this platform to expand into new generations of microbial solutions for human health, and with these agreements in place, we can strengthen our strategic research efforts and accelerate product development.”

Johan van Hylckama Vlieg, senior director of Chr. Hansen’s Microbiome Innovation, says: “This partnership will accelerate our development of a new growth platform for the company and help us strengthen key competences within the production of this special type of bacteria.”

One of the lead investigators, Professor Dr. Harry Flint, University of Aberdeen, says: “The bio-banks of anaerobic bacteria that we will advance in this project, already cover 500 strains, some ranking among the best documented in the field. These strains will be subjected to a deep analysis of their health functional activities and their potential for production and formulation.”

The consortium’s research program seeks to develop bacterial products based on its study of the human microbiome which consists of trillions of microbes living within the human body and influencing bodily functions. It is believed that intervening with the microbiome offers potential in the management of health and disease, through probiotic and therapeutic bacteria.