Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and the Bengaluru-based Velbiom Probiotics Pvt Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to engage in a collaborative research initiative in the field of human microbiome science.

Lt Gen MD Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE, said MAHE is focusing on academia-industry engagement, and this partnership should lead to new research outcomes, new probiotic products, and improve the quality of life of consumers. Kasturba Medical College (KMC) will engage with Velbiom initially, and the engagement may involve other institutions of MAHE in the future, he said.

Benefits of probiotics

Sundara Rajan, Chairman of Velbiom Probiotics, said this research engagement will involve profiling the human microbiome in the Indian population. “Metagenomic analyses of microbial communities in humans will enable us to develop targeted solutions that work on root cause resolution for difficult-to-treat disease conditions such as colo-rectal cancer, urticaria, psoriasis, neonatal distress, and autism. We will be working closely with the scientists and clinicians at KMC Manipal in this research endeavour,” he said.

Velbiom Probiotics Pvt Ltd is a bio-therapeutic solutions start-up that is engaged in the study of human microbiome, and more specifically in the role of probiotics and prebiotics in the clinical management of health and disease.

S Vijayaraghavan, Director (Scientific Affairs) of Velbiom Probiotics, and Saikat Ray, CEO of Velbiom Probiotics, Narayana Sabhahit, Registrar of MAHE, Raviraja NS, Director of Corporate Relations of MAHE, Sharath K Rao, Dean of KMC Manipal, Vandana KE, professor and head of the Department of Microbiology, KMC, and Shiran Shetty, professor and head of the Department of Gastroenterology, KMC, were present during the MoU signing.