That is where ProDigest comes into the picture. Founded in 2008, the Belgium-based research firm works with companies globally to test solutions in “robot guts” to combat the obesity epidemic while addressing human variability.
By using technology to simulate human gastrointestinal environments for research and product testing coupled with advanced analytical methods, it can assess different microbiome compositions and outcomes prior to further study and product development.
“For instance, working with metabolomics, we are able to understand which metabolites are produced by the microbiota at the level of the colon and connect this to a systemic effect for the host, and what could be the potential effect in terms of satiety, weight management and impact on obesity at the very end,” said Massimo Marzorati, PhD, CEO at ProDigest.
One area of increasing interest in weight management is the use of prebiotics, which can selectively feed beneficial gut bacteria to metabolites like short-chain fatty acids that may influence weight-regulating hormones, appetite, and inflammation.
Clarifying the structure-function relationship of prebiotics is key to determining which candidates should be prioritized for future research.
“At ProDigest, for example, our Colon-on-a-plate technology coupled with our biobank is an ideal tool to study such structure-function relationships,” said Dr. Bart Roucourt, PhD, director of business development at ProDigest.
“What is also very interesting and relevant is that the prebiotic is not the same for every individual—so different individuals will respond differently to the prebiotic. In that case, with our Colon-on-a-plate approach coupled with the biobank, we can deliver answers on the inter-individual variability of the response towards prebiotics and really understand how they will perform later on when used in real life.”
Colon-on-a-plate is a high throughput simulation technology that can model different donor microbiomes and insights into how an intervention affects microbiome composition, metabolism and interaction with host cells. It uses small-volume reactors that can be inoculated with the microbial communities derived from human fecal samples. Researchers can test 20, 30 or 40 subjects within the same experiments to explore the impact of an ingredient and different type of microbiota.
The tool that receives the most attention at ProDigest is SHIME, or Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial ecosystem, a bench-sized laboratory model of the human gut that Dr. Marzorati fine-tuned 17 years ago while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University.
To better understand how prebiotics can mediate weight management, a clinically validated model like SHIME can be fed a product to study formulations and doses, deriving data that can indicate mechanisms of action that may impact weight management. Effective formulations and doses can lead to better weight management outcomes.
“We have different technology platforms, and each technology platform has its own unique purpose,” Dr. Roucourt said. “And based on the research question of the client, we advise the client which is the best technology for their research question.”
ProDigest notes that there is still much to be explored in terms of inter-individual variability, given the trillions of bacteria constantly interacting and competing within the microbiome..
“It’s a field of research which is very interesting but also in the early phase,” Dr. Marzorati said.
