GPC establishes grants to expand knowledge about probiotics

Today, the success of the Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research (YIGPRO) program was confirmed with the announcement of two $50,000 grants that are available to rising young investigators in the field of probiotics. 2010 marks the third consecutive year for the grants. The grants were established by The Global Probiotics Council (GPC), a committee formed by DANONE and Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., and are designed to contribute to the advancement of probiotics and gastrointestinal microbiota research in the United States.

The grants are expected to continue to expand knowledge about probiotics that may benefit health and prevent disease and to support young researchers who will continue research focused on the relationship between probiotics, gastrointestinal microbiota, and the body.

"The quality of applicants and the caliber of science that we saw the past two years were exceptional and we expect to see the same this year as the level of interest in probiotics continues to rise with emerging science," said Sven Thormahlen, Executive Vice President R&D, Danone Research.

DANONE and Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. are the leading global companies involved in research about probiotics and in raising awareness of their health benefits through science-based education.

"We hope this program has a global reach. In Japan, we have a long history of working with probiotics and we are committed to supporting education and raising awareness on their benefits," said Mr. Yoshihiro Kawabata, Senior Managing Director, Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that can provide health benefits to humans beyond basic nutrition when they are consumed in sufficient quantities. In the United States, probiotics are mainly recognized for improving digestive health and supporting the immune system, but they are also involved in promoting health in many other ways. Research shows that different probiotics (specific strains) are beneficial for a number of different conditions. These grants will help to uncover additional beneficial probiotics and will identify critical mechanisms by which they are promoting health.

Application procedures and additional details on the Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research program can be found at www.probioticsresearch.com.