SHINE
As unique as a fingerprint, our individual microbiome is part of our personal signature. But what exactly is it and how can scientists work together to decode it and unlock its potential?
Exploring the Microbiome: The Next Frontier in Life-Science Discovery
When the human genome was decoded in 2001, the scientific community hoped it had the key to unlock the challenges of many serious diseases, but our growing knowledge of the human microbiome is revealing a landscape that is dramatically larger than that of the human genome. First described by Joshua Lederberg in 20011, understanding how the microbiome influences human health is the next frontier in life-science discovery.
• Food digestion
• Production of key vitamins,
dietary nutrients and many
important bioactive molecules
(e.g. neurotransmitters)
• Development of host
immunity
• Intestinal homeostasis
The human microbiome is the collection of all the microorganisms living in our body2. Each of us play host to 10-100 trillion microbial ‘guests’, outnumbering the cells in our body by 10 to 1 and collectively weighing between 2-6 pounds (around 1-3 kilos) in a 200-pound (90 kilo) adult – about the size of our brains2-4. These microbes are generally not harmful to us. In fact, they are essential for maintaining health. They inhabit our skin, mouth, genital areas and respiratory system but most of them live in our digestives systems. Our inner micro-community of bacteria in the gut has a gene pool of 3.3 million, more than 150 times larger than the 20,000 genes in the human genome5. Not surprisingly, no two people share the same microbial makeup of microbes and their genes.
This diversity extends to the potential influence of the microbiome. An increasing number of studies have shown that changes in our microbiome correspond with numerous diseases and leading scientists in the microbiome research community suggest that it is very hard to find a disease that is not linked in some way to the microbiome6. The question is how can we leverage discoveries from microbiome research to treat disease?
Exploring the New Frontier
Boehringer Ingelheim is exploring this new frontier with its own microbiome research program which is coordinated by the Company’s Research Beyond Borders team that is tasked to explore emerging science and technologies. But where do you start when the research landscape in this area is so large and diverse? Cyrille Kuhn, Head of Research Beyond Borders, USA, says the research focus is on identifying bacteria and bacterial products associated with human health and disease, building causal relationships, and developing tractable intervention approaches that can enable new therapeutic concepts.
Pioneering New Collaboration Models
Given the scale of the research challenge, Boehringer Ingelheim is bringing together key experts from the microbiome and immunology scientific communities to work together in a new model of collaboration. Our Strategic Hub for Innovative New Therapeutics concept Exploration (SHINE) program is a unique postdoctoral research model for academic-industry partnership, designed to maximize engagement with a network of targeted investigators, and support their cross-institutional collaboration around a common scientific theme. Most importantly, SHINE brings together complementary skills and expertise to accelerate the drug discovery process, providing greater potential to discover truly novel concepts that can translate into new and advanced medicines for patients.
Researchers from world-leading institutions are working side-by-side with Boehringer Ingelheim scientists at our research ‘collaboratory’ in Ridgefield, CT.
Specific research activities will center on:
- developing a better understanding of the interface between the body’s immune system and the microbiome
- determining the microbial triggers that impact intestinal barrier function
- developing appropriate models for facilitating drug discovery activities.
“Emerging evidence suggests the gut microbiome has a considerable influence on the development and severity of many diseases. We feel that it is essential to bring together the expertise and capabilities of multiple leading investigators with our own scientists to elucidate disease mechanisms and to identify new therapeutic concepts for patient treatment. Our long history of partnering, combined with our expertise in drug discovery and development, provide a strong foundation for success as we explore this new frontier of science.” Dr. Clive Wood, Senior Corporate Vice President, Discovery Research, Boehringer Ingelheim.
While the microbiome might be the next frontier in life-science discovery, we can be hopeful that the breakthroughs for patients will be brought nearer when science and collaboration collide in such a positive way.
References:
- Lederberg J, McCray A. The Scientist. 2001; 15:8.
- http://hmpdacc.org/overview/about.php (Accessed 2017 05 10)
- Turnbaugh PJ et al. Nature. 2007; 449:804-810.
- Ursell LK et al. Nutr Rev. 2012 August; 70(Suppl 1): S38-S44.
- Qin J et al. Nature. 2010; 464:59-65
- Interview: Our Microbiome - Health Matters. University of California Television (UCTV)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfh6j_HF8NQ. (Accessed 2017 05 10)