Experienced microbiologist to manage the company’s microbiome-focused research and development platform
LINCOLN, Neb. – August 3, 2021 – Microbiome-based ingredient company Synbiotic Health is pleased to welcome Dr. Thomas Auchtung to the team in the key role of Laboratory Manager. Auchtung comes to Synbiotic Health with a wealth of microbiology research experience and scientific talent. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and joins the company after spending three years as Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Auchtung will manage internal laboratory operations and external testing to execute on the company’s product development and improvement strategy, as the company prepares to release its first commercially available ingredient, the iVS-1 Advanced Probiotic™ strain. The author of 19 peer-reviewed publications, Auchtung has previously worked in the labs of Joseph Petrosino at Baylor College of Medicine, Robert Britton at Michigan State University, Colleen Cavanaugh at Harvard University, Alan Grossman at MIT, and Robert Hausinger at Michigan State University.
“Tommy brings an impressive breadth of scientific experience from working in leading academic labs,” says Zac Lewis, CSO of Synbiotic Health. “We are delighted to have him join our growing company to help develop our unique portfolio of ecologically-designed ingredients. Having him lead our internal discovery and bench research activities will let us continue to bring truly innovative and disruptive offerings to the market for the long term. This capability will help position us as the leading science-based and data-driven strain provider in the probiotic industry; delivering demonstrably superior ecology-based technology as envisioned by our founders.”
About Synbiotic Health
Synbiotic Health was founded in 2018 by four well-known microbiome research scientists to develop ecologically-advanced microbiome ingredients for improved health. Based on over 10 years of research, Synbiotic Health will commercialize Advanced Probiotics™ as well as Synergistic Synbiotics™ – complementary combinations of probiotics with fiber and/or prebiotics.
The foundation of Synbiotic Health’s research focuses on understanding the gut environment and its ecological framework: how probiotics and other microbiome-based ingredients interact with and influence the resident microbes in the gut. Synbiotic Health’s approach considers the entire ecosystem and the specific traits and functions necessary for microbiome-altering ingredients to perform and improve human health.
The Scientific Founder team includes Dr. Robert Hutkins and Dr. Andy Benson with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Food for Health Center; Dr. Jens Walter with APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork; and Dr. Tom Burkey, an animal scientist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Synbiotic Health will commercialize its first ecologically-advanced probiotic – iVS-1™ Advanced Probiotic™ – in 2021 and is in the process of completing additional clinical studies to further define the health benefits of additional novel ingredients.
For more information, please contact:
Kristina Campbell
Kristina@synbiotichealth.com
