This ‘Microbiome research and innovation: open directory’ lists all the projects and opportunities we’ve received in response to our Autumn 2022 Global Challenge campaign investigating the relationship between the microbiome, health and disease. Each of these projects has been submitted by an academic or research commercialisation professional looking to initiate meaningful connections that lead to the commercialisation and deployment of new microbiome-based healthcare interventions.

How to review the projects

A non-confidential summary of each project is hosted on IN-PART’s digital matchmaking platform, Connect, for university-industry collaboration. Set up an account (it’s completely free), log in, and follow the links below.

How to connect with the teams behind them

If you see a project that aligns with your R&D priorities, you can make a request for more information directly through the article on Connect. The academic team or project lead will then send you a response by email.

There are no costs or downstream fees for companies to use IN-PART’s matchmaking platform to connect with universities – it’s maintained by institutional subscriptions.

Leveraging the microbiome to prevent disease and improve human health

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• Analytics, metagenomics, and characterisation
• Consumer health, Over-the-Counter (OTC)
• Cultivation and manipulation
• Therapeutics

Analytics, metagenomics, and characterisation

Gut Bioreactor to Model Gut Microbiome
Indiana University
Read the project summary

Microrobotic Capsule for Drug Delivery and Microbiome Sampling
University of Toronto
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Non-invasive Hydrogen Monitoring Device to Assess Gut Health
University of Cincinnati
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Vagus Nerve Antidepressant Code Screening
McMaster University
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Rapid High-Throughput GPCR Screen for IBS-C Drug Discovery
Georgia Institute of Technology
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Microbiome Signature for Prognosis of Breast Cancer Patients
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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Influences on Gut Microbiome
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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Dynamics of a “Healthy” Viable Microbiome to Prevent Diseases
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

MiGut: A High-throughput in vitro Platform for Modelling the Human Colon
University of Leeds
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Detection and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases Caused by Nasal Dysbiosis
University of New Mexico
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Treating Leaky Gut by Targeting Bacteria and Snail Pathway
University of New Mexico
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Prediction of Cardiovascular Diseases through Salivary Microbiome
Sidra Medical and Research Center
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Microbiome Transplantation for OA Therapy
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

The Bridge Between the Microbiome and Health Viewed by Metabolomics
University of Aveiro
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Bioactivity Metabolomics to Discover Immunomodulatory Microbial Metabolites
University of Aveiro
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

A Biorepository and Knowledge Framework for Studying Human-microbiome Interactions in Health and Disease
University of Pittsburgh
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Relationships Between the Skin Microbiota and Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
University of Louisville
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Biomarkers of Microbial Dysbiosis to Assess Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
Mayo Clinic
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Microbiome-Based Marker to Predict Response to Obesity Treatments
Mayo Clinic
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Microbial Signatures of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Expansion of Rare Lineages and Contraction of Abundant Lineages
Mayo Clinic
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Diagnostic Test and Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis via Oral Microbiome
University of Illinois at Chicago
Read the project summary (Date added 22 NOV 2022)

Consumer health, Over-the-counter (OTC)

Non-Transgenic Functional Rescue of Neuropeptides
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Probiotics to Prevent Dental Cavities
University of Toronto
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Bioactive Resin Composite Containing Copper-doped Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles for Microbiome Modulation on Dental Restorations for Prevention of Secondary Caries
Universidad de los Andes
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Cultivation and manipulation

Validation of an Innovative Process to Generate Minimal Functional and Cohesive Microbial Consortia to Manage the Microbiome
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
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Platform for Targeted Genetic Manipulation of Non-model Gut Microbes
Cornell University
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Evolutor Microbe Optimization
North by Northwest Partners
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Engineered Bile Salt Hydrolases and Derived Strains for Improved Gut Health
North Carolina State University
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A Universal Approach to Integrate and Express Pathways in a Broad Range of Bacteria
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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A Novel Method for High-resolution Analysis of Microbiome Using Microbial DNA Methylation Information
Mount Sinai Health System
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Device for the Release of Bioactive Agents in The Gastrointestinal Tract
Universitat Politècnica de València
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Bacterial Protein Protects Probiotics from Desiccation, Delivering Higher Viable Dosage and Improving Gut Colonization
Vanderbilt University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Studying the Host Microbe Interaction on Human Epidermal Equivalents
Radboud University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Rationally Designed Human Microbiomes
Penn State University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Enzyme-assisted Processing of Agro-industrial Wastes for the Production of Nutraceutical Oligosaccharides
University of Pretoria
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Therapeutics 

Theranostic Test for Antifungal Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases
Cornell University
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MDM-QScreen: a Quantitative Screen for the Assessment of Microbiome Derived Drug Metabolism for Drug Development and Personalized Medicine
Princeton University
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Short-Chain Fatty Acids for the Treatment of Coagulopathy and SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Cornell University
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Treatment of Fungal-associated Irritable Bowel Disease Using IL-1 Inhibitors
Cornell University
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Discovery of an Anti-obesogenic Agent from the Microbiome of a Genetically Modified Mouse
University of Greenwich
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Bile Acids and Other Agents that Modulate the Gut Microbiome for the Treatment of Liver Cancer
National Cancer Institute
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Dietary Metabolites for Autoimmune Diseases
Monash University
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Engineered Enzymes to Disrupt Bacterial Communication and Reduce Biocorrosion of Metals, Biofilm Formation and Virulence
University of Minnesota
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Promoting ATP Synthase Using Peptidoglycan Muropeptides
University of Colorado Boulder
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Methods, Systems and Compositions for the Novel Use of Enterobactin to Treat Iron Deficiency and Related Anemia
University of Colorado Boulder
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Design and Synthesis of Pro-drugs for Selective, Oral Delivery to the Gastrointestinal Tract
University of Arizona
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A Designer Probiotic-based Intervention to Prevent Infection
University of Arizona
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Using Engineered Bacteriophage to Change Phenotype of Gut Microbiota
University of Texas at Arlington
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Identification and Use of Intestinal Resident Bacteria that Mediate Protection Against Enteric Pathogens
University of Michigan
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Live Biotherapeutic to Augment Response to Immunotherapy
Mount Sinai Health System
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Use of Valerate and Bile Salt Hydrolase (BSH) as Prevention and Treatment for C. difficile Infection
Imperial College London
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Modulating the Gut and Circulating Microbiome to Decrease the Risk of Developing Pancreaticobiliary Diseases
University College London
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Application of Metabolites from the Gut Microbiome to Treat Chronic Inflammatory Diseases
Temple University
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A Potential Theranostic Approach Using the Gut Microbiome for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
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Pre-Clinical Investigation Using Eubacterium Halli (and Akkermansia Muciniphila) to Prevent and Stablize Diabetic Atherosclerotic Plaques
Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Targeting Opioid Addiction through the Gut Microbiome
Northeastern University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

A Probiotic-derived Peptide for the Prevention and Treatment of Intestinal Injury and Inflammatory Diseases
Vanderbilt University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

A Virulent strain of Clostridioides difficile Co-Administered with Antibiotic Treats Hypervirulent Clinical Clostridioides difficile
The University of Chicago
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Investigating the Role of Retinoic Acid Metabolizing Bacteria in Dysregulating the Microgut Biome in Favor of Pathogenic Species
Queen’s University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

A Commensal Bacterial Protein Protects Against Clostridioides Difficile Infection
Queen’s University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Probiotic Enhancement of Intestinal Barrier and Treatment in Diseases with Intestinal Barrier Defect
University of New Mexico
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Harnessing the Power of Microbiota and Metabolites for the Treatment of Cancer
Innovate Calgary
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Leveraging Microbiomes and Novel Microbial Species to Predict, Prevent and Treat Disease
University of California, San Francisco
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases using Microbiome Microorganisms Engineered to Express Antibacterial Microcins
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Bacteriophage for the Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders
The Girona Biomedical Research Institute
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Novel Therapeutic Agent to Target Microbial Biofilms
SUNY Research Foundation
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Microbiota Targets for Suppression of Proteases
Mayo Clinic
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Bacteriophage Cocktail plus Probiotic for Optimization of the Gut Microbiota
Brigham Young University
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Glycobiology of Host-microbe Interactions in the Gut
Quadram Institute
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles (BEVs) for Drug Delivery
Quadram Institute
Read the project summary (Date added 16 NOV 2022)

Probiotic Lozenge as an Adjunctive Therapy in the Management of Periodontal Diseases
University of Sao Paulo
Read the project summary (Date added 21 NOV 2022)

If you have any questions or want to speak with our team about our microbiome research and innovation directory, or any of the work we’re doing to leverage the microbiome to improve human health and prevent disease, feel free to send us a message at: anabel.bennett@in-part.co.uk or joseph.ferner@in-part.co.uk.

Written by Frances Wilkinson. Edited by Joseph Ferner.

Copyrights reserved unless otherwise agreed – IN-PART Publishing Ltd., 2022: ‘Microbiome research and innovation: open directory’

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Header Image credit: angellodeco / AdobeStock

In-line Image Credit in order of appearance: angellodeco / AdobeStock, misael moreno / Unsplash, Photographee.eu / AdobeStock, trnava university / Unsplash License, Kateryna_Kon / AdobeStock