uBiome Awards Grant to The Ohio State University to Study Microbiome Composition in Perinatal Women and Their Infants

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Through its Microbiome Grant Initiative, uBiome, the leader in microbial genomics, has awarded microbiome research support in study design, planning, sample collection, and analysis to team of researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center led by Dr. Lisa Christian, PhD, to study associations between body weight, behavior, and the gut microbiome.

The goal of the study is to examine relationships between gut microbiome composition, maternal mood and infant temperament, and maternal body weight and infant growth trajectory. Obesity and depression are highly prevalent t in adults, and the team believes studying the correspondence between these factors may lead to insights for prevention and/or treatment earlier in life, when the microbiome is thought to be more malleable.

Data collected from study will include microbiome composition from uBiome's patented kits, acute and chronic stressors, daily caloric and nutrient intake, body mass index, waist-hip ratios, and body fat distribution. In addition to microbiome composition samples, infant data will include growth trajectory, diet, and behavior.

"The correlation between the microbiome and obesity and depression is an intriguing area of research, especially in regard to mother-infant pairs," said Jessica Richman, PhD, co-founder and CEO of uBiome. "We are honored to partner with Dr. Christian and The Ohio State University for this important study."

Dr. Lisa Christian, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, member of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at The Ohio State University, and Principal Investigator of the Stress and Health and Pregnancy Research Program. Her research
program, which has been supported by the National Institutes of Health since 2009, examines how psychosocial factors affect health during pregnancy and postpartum.

About the grant, Dr. Christian said, "The first year postpartum is a time of major transition for mothers and development in infants. This study will give us new information on the correspondence between the maternal and infant gut microbiome in this crucial first year postpartum, as well as implications for gut microbiome composition for both psychological and physical health." She added, "Specifically, we are interested in examining the interconnected pathways by which the gut microbiome is associated with both mood and body composition in mothers, as well as behavioral development and growth in infants."

Through its Microbiome Grant Initiative, uBiome has awarded millions of dollars in research support to hundreds of investigators around the world at renowned academic institutions and not-for-profit research organizations, including Harvard University, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, San Francisco, Oxford University, and the University of Sydney. Awards include patented microbiome sequencing kits, as well as research support in study design, planning, sample collection, and analysis. To learn more about our award process or to submit a grant proposal, visit http://www.ubiome.com/microbiome-grant-initiative/.

About uBiome
Founded in 2012, uBiome is the leader in microbial genomics. The Company's mission is to advance the science of the microbiome and make it useful to people. uBiome combines its patented proprietary precision sequencing™ with machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop wellness products, clinical tests, and therapeutic targets. uBiome has filed for over 250 patents on its technology, which includes sample preparation, computational analysis, molecular techniques, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

uBiome's commercial products include SmartGut™, the world's first sequencing-based clinical microbiome test, which identifies microbes in the gut for patients with chronic gut conditions such as IBD, IBS, Crohn's Disease, and ulcerative colitis; SmartJane™, the first sequencing-based women's health screening test, which genotypes all 19 clinically relevant strains of HPV, identifies four common STDs, and surveys more than 20 vaginal microbes associated with bacterial vaginosis and other conditions; and Explorer™, a health and wellness product to understand the role that food and lifestyle can play in wellness.

uBiome's platform has been used by hundreds of thousands of consumers, patients, and doctors and more than 200 research institutions around the world, including the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard University, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, San Francisco, Oxford University, and the University of Sydney.

Since its launch, the company has received widespread recognition including CNN 10: Startups to Watch, the IVY Technology Award, CNN Future 30, and was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in Healthcare in 2016 and in Data Science in 2018, as well as a Technology Pioneer from the World Economic Forum in 2018. For more information, visit http://www.uBiome.com.

SOURCE uBiome