SKAN Research Trust &  Quadram Institute Bioscience Collaborate to Advance Microbial Therapies

This collaboration seeks to investigate the impact of traditional medical compounds on bacteria, potentially revolutionizing antibacterial treatments and advancing gut health research.

Bengaluru-based SKAN Research Trust, led by entrepreneur Ashok Soota, has joined forces with the UK-based Quadram Institute Bioscience to leverage the TraDIS-Xpress platform in a novel research initiative. 

This collaboration seeks to investigate the impact of traditional medical compounds on bacteria, for antibacterial treatments and advancing gut health research.

The core of the collaboration revolves around the utilization of Quadram Institute's TraDIS-Xpress platform. This advanced genetic sequencing technology will enable researchers to explore the effects of traditional medical compounds on bacterial populations. 

The partnership seeks to uncover new insights that could lead to the development of enhanced antibacterial therapies and further understanding of gut microbiome interactions.

Sharing insights, Prof Ian Charles, director of Quadram Institute Bioscience, said, "This initiative aims to benefit public health in India by advancing our knowledge of microbial influences on human well-being."

Focus on Antibiotic Resistance & Gut Health

As part of a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement, SKAN researchers will undergo training at Quadram Institute's facilities in Norwich Research Park. 

This training is pivotal in enabling Indian researchers to utilize the TraDIS-Xpress platform effectively, particularly in generating data from diverse Indian cohorts. Such data will be instrumental in tailoring therapies specific to the Indian population.

Regarding the same, Ashok Soota, chairman and managing trustee of SKAN, said, "The research on novel microbial therapies marks a significant step in our partnership with QIB. We are committed to contributing to advancements in healthcare through rigorous scientific inquiry."

The collaborative project, "Application of TraDIS-Xpress in Microbiology for Healthy Living," will span three years. It will investigate the effects of traditional medical compounds and delve into mechanisms of drug resistance among key pathogens relevant to India. 

Furthermore, the study will assess the impact of commonly used food additives in India on the growth of gut microbes.

In a separate initiative, SKAN Research Trust forged partnerships with the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI) to advance stem cell research in India. 

The agreements, finalized in Cambridge on September 6, 2023, aim to introduce expertise in stem cell technologies to India. Stem cells offer opportunities in regenerative medicine and provide advancements in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. 

Founded by Ashok Soota and the Karedan families in Bengaluru, SKAN is a not-for-profit medical research trust focused on transformational technologies that will alter the future of medicine by discovering new therapies.  

SKAN's areas of expertise include human genomics, stem cells, gut microbiome, molecular biology, and transformational artificial intelligence applied to areas of aging and neurological ailments to achieve breakthrough therapies.