Global Probiotics Council announces grants for probiotic research

ALEXANDRIA, Va. The Global Probiotics Council, a committee formed by Groupe Danone and Yakult Honsha, on Monday announced the availability of two grants for the second annual Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research.

Each Young Investigator Grant will provide $50,000 over one year. This year, the grant focus is on the role of probiotics and gastrointestinal microbiota in health and disease. The grants are designed to contribute to the advancement of probiotics and gastrointestinal microbiota research in the United States and to attract promising, young researchers into this field of study.

“Groupe Danone and Yakult Honsha are committed to benefiting human health by advancing research on probiotics,” said Sven Thormahlen, executive vice president of research and development for Danone Research. “We established the GPC to raise awareness of probiotics and their health benefits through science-based education.”

Researchers applying for this grant must be interested in understanding the health benefits of probiotics and the relationship between probiotics, gastrointestinal microbiota and the body.

Probiotic research is a key expertise of Danone Research, the companies stated. Over the past 90 years, Danone has amassed a collection of approximately 3,500 lactic bacteria strains or “cultures.” In addition to taste and texture, some of these cultures provide probiotic health properties. Such is the case of Bifidobacterium animalis DN 173 010, used to produce Activia, and Lactobacillus casei DN 114 001, used to produce DanActive.