SKAN Research Trust, Quadram Institute Bioscience to collaborate in gut microbiome research

Technology transfer between the organisations to augment cutting-edge Indian research capabilities

SKAN Research Trust, promoted by Indian entrepreneur Ashok Soota and UK-based Quadram Institute Bioscience have entered into a comprehensive partnership agreement to collaborate on research programmes focussed on gut health and developing therapies that alleviate ageing and neurological diseases.

The Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) and SKAN Research Trust direct considerable research resources towards addressing gut health and the gut-cardiovascular and gut-brain axes. 

Important areas on which QIB and SKAN will collaborate under the terms of the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement include:

• Undertaking joint research projects in UK and India for the development of microbiome-based products that promote human health and treat neurological and age-related ailments;
• Technology transfer between the organisations to augment cutting-edge Indian research capabilities;
• Training of young Indian research scientists with Quadram Institute Bioscience and
• Study of large Indian population cohorts to develop India-specific therapies that alleviate ageing and neurological diseases.

Prof Ian Charles, Director, Quadram Institute Bioscience, said, “Our agreement with SKAN Research Trust signals important new collaborations between scientists in the UK and India and underlines our global reach in terms of research into the gut microbiome, gut-brain axis and human health.”

Ashok Soota, Chairman and Managing Trustee, SKAN, said, “We are delighted to be collaborating with Quadram Institute Bioscience, one of the global leaders in the field of gut microbiome research, particularly the gut-brain axis.”

The first project QIB and SKAN will undertake in terms of the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement will be ‘Microbiome-based Therapies to Alleviate Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.’ Prof Arjan Narbad, Group Leader, Translational Microbiome at QIB, and Dr Yogesh Shouche, eminent gut microbiologist of SKAN, will be the principal investigators of this research project.

Prof Arjan Narbad, Professor of Translational Microbiome, Quadram Institute Bioscience, said, “This exciting new collaboration will accelerate our common research in modulation of the human gut microbiome for health benefits with particular focus on the Parkinson’s disease for which currently there is no cure.” 

Dr Yogesh Shouche, Group Head, Gut Microbiology Research Division of SKAN, said, “We look forward to gaining from Quadram Institute Bioscience’s expertise in gut health research. We at SKAN hope to add value to the project findings by bringing in cohorts exposed to different environment conditions and diets.”

The India leg of the research project will commence once necessary approvals are secured from the Government of India.