See below for selected media articles that feature our team.
Microbiologists’ work adds to research on microbiome fungi and childhood disease
WRITTEN BY Geitner Simmons
A surge in research projects on the human microbiome — the complex ecosystem of microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract — is bolstering scientific understanding of health, disease and environment. Much of the research has focused on gut bacteria and viruses, leaving a third factor — fungi — little studied.
An international consortium of scientists has conducted the first large-scale study of gastrointestinal fungi throughout early childhood. The research team included Thomas and Jennifer Auchtung, husband and wife microbiologists in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Food Science and Technology Department.
The findings, recently published in the journal Nature Communications, help fill significant gaps in scientific knowledge of the fungal dimensions of the microbiome and identify areas for further study …continue reading
Synbiotics at the Start: More research will make the synbiotics category easier to digest
WRITTEN BY Melissa Kvidahl Reilly
It’s no secret that immune health and, by association, gut health are top of mind during the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that it’s a trend with staying power: the U.S. digestive health supplement market is projected to grow at a CAGR of about 7% between 2021 and 2026.1
In the midst of this growth is the emergence of a burgeoning category: synbiotics, or formulations containing both live bacteria (probiotics) and compounds that feed bacteria (prebiotics). Some synbiotics are complementary, meaning the probiotics and prebiotics work independently in a formulation; others, however, are synergistic, meaning that the prebiotics are selected specifically to benefit the chosen probiotic, yielding a more significant combined benefit.
Consumers are on board, and Innova Market Insights says that globally, new synbiotic launches grew an average of 41% annually between 2016 and 2020. Why? Despite being a relatively new category, synbiotics benefit from existing consumer understanding of probiotics and prebiotics …continue reading
Husker scientists studying our ‘second brain’ — the gut microbiome
WRITTEN BY Deann Gayman
Using what they’ve learned in the laboratory, and the specialized strains of bacteria they developed, Benson and Hutkins, along with Nebraska animal scientist Tom Burkey and former Husker scientist Jens Walter, launched their own company to bring their research to the marketplace.
Synbiotic Health will provide something novel and clinically proven — a product that mixes beneficial microbes and the fiber-like fuel that feeds them — for health-conscious consumers.
Nebraska Today recently sat down for a conversation with Benson, professor of food science and director of the center, and Hutkins, Khem Shahani Distinguished Professor of Food Science, to discuss how our food choices affect our health, what sets Nebraska apart in the research of the gut microbiome, and what research will emerge following the COVID-19 pandemic …continue reading
