News Release
UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation (CMI) Announces Sanitarium as new Corporate Member
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San Diego, Calif., September 13, 2018 - The UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation (CMI) is pleased to announce that Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing, one of Australia’s most trusted food companies, has joined CMI's Corporate Member Board. Sanitarium has been producing a variety of healthy breakfast cereals and vegetarian products since 1898.
“Given global epidemics of obesity and other metabolic diseases, and our emerging understanding of the key role of diet and the microbiome in preventing these diseases, the importance of the food industry embracing microbiome science is critical — we are glad to see Sanitarium leading the way by being the first of many to join the Center for Microbiome Innovation” said CMI Faculty Director, Rob Knight.
The Center for Microbiome Innovation exists to inspire, nurture and sustain vibrant collaborations between UC San Diego Microbiome experts and industry in the many areas. The Center encompasses a large range of expertise in microbiome sampling, a broad range of technologies (metagenomics, metabolomics, metatranscriptomics) and data analysis using high-performance algorithms, machine learning, and modeling. The ultimate goal is to increase knowledge of the microbiome’s impact on human health and the environment with an eye to providing innovative solutions and treatment to major disease as well as prolonging wellness.
“Sanitarium is delighted to partner with CMI as they are not only at the forefront of research into human microbiome, they are well versed in translating discoveries into real-world scenarios. This collaboration will enable Sanitarium to continue impacting the wellbeing of local communities in new and highly effective ways,” said Daniel Derrick, General Manager Personalized Wellbeing, Sanitarium.
By joining the family of CMI industry sponsors, Sanitarium will be key in influencing the future research directions of the center by providing market need feedback to our researchers, ensuring that we always stay focused on the science that matters the most for bettering human conditions. “Sanitarium exposure to our other industry partners interested in microbiome research from different angles, such as new technology development, AI and machine learning, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and consumer products, will surely result in CMI undertaking even bolder new projects,” said CMI Executive Director, Sandrine Miller-Montgomery.
About the UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation
The objective of the Center for Microbiome Innovation (CMI) is to accelerate microbiome research and understanding, through partnerships with industry sponsors. Together we will develop novel tools and methods to improve human health and benefit the environment by analyzing and manipulating microbiomes — the distinct and diverse communities of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that live within and around us. This is a multidisciplinary center with access to all the latest omics tools (genomics, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, multiplex proteomics), processing hundreds of thousands of samples each year and analyzing and collecting data for some of the largest microbiome cohorts in the world. Applications range from human disease understanding, ag-bio, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, environmental research, to consumer goods.
About Sanitarium
Operating since 1898, Sanitarium mission is to change lives every day through whole person health. Best known for leading brands of breakfast foods and non-dairy milks, Sanitarium also runs corporate wellbeing programs and operates the Lifestyle Medicine Institute. As part of this institute, the Complete Health Intervention Program (CHIP) has over 25 clinical studies demonstrating the ability of a lifestyle intervention to reverse the progression of diabetes, normalize blood pressure and even lower BMI.
Media Contacts
Erin Bateman
Center for Microbiome Innovation
858-408-6610
ebateman@eng.ucsd.edu