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Our Vision for Research |
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 Pratik Banerjee, PHD |
At LacPro, we are dedicated to the research and development of innovative probiotic therapies for unmet or insufficiently addressed health care needs. Our initial research is focused broadly on gastrointestinal ailments, with a specific emphasis on therapies for Clostridium difficile Infection. Our aim is to produce groundbreaking medical foods and biotherapeutics to improve patients’ lives and reduce the total cost of health care treatments in hospitals and nursing homes. As the head of LacPro’s Research and Development, I have the unique opportunity to advance these goals.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea, Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI), Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, take a huge toll on the population. CDI is increasing in both incidence and virulence and residents of long-term care facilities are at the greatest risk. By discovering and applying fundamental principles related to the GI microbial environment and diseases of the GI tract, we are developing novel probiotic medical foods for dietary management and biotherapeutics for the treatment of CDI. Today, researchers studying the health benefits of probiotic microorganisms typically conduct research in clinical settings or in animal models by administering live organisms. These clinical studies only focus on the overall outcomes. However, the relationship between live probiotic organisms and the precise mechanism of disease recession is very complex. The beneficial health effects of live probiotic organisms may follow several proposed mechanistic paths (at the cellular and molecular levels), such as: (1) reducing pathogen colonization to tissues or organs by outcompeting pathogens for adhesion sites (on the epithelial cell-layer in gut) and nutrients present in gut; (2) producing antimicrobial factors; (3) degrading toxins or eukaryotic toxin receptors; or (4) modulating immune functions; etc. Rigorous research work is warranted to develop a sound scientific understanding of how probiotics function. At LacPro, we have developed a multi-disciplinary approach involving multi-institute research activities to elucidate the mechanistic details of probiotic actions at molecular levels. We are accomplishing our research goals using the experience and dedication of our Research staff, academic research partners, and our Scientific Advisory Board. We are continuously updating our research findings. I encourage you to browse through the Research section of our website to learn more about our research efforts and to visit often for updated information. Pratik Banerjee, PHDPrinciple Scientist |
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LacPro Industries, LLC 2020 E. Washington Blvd. Suite 700 Fort Wayne, IN 46803 |
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