Rutgers, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences Announce Research Collaboration

The Rutgers Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences have announced a new collaboration in the field of microbiome science they hope will improve cancer treatment.

This two-year research partnership will focus on regulating gut bacteria and decreasing chemotherapy side effects. The microbiome – which includes trillions of microorganisms and the genetic material that live in the intestinal tract – plays an important role in gut inflammation and oral ingestion of oncology drugs that can cause an inflammation of the digestive tract. Regulating beneficial microbes in the gut could lead to improving patient care and comfort for those undergoing cancer treatment.

“We are delighted to further develop our relationships with DuPont for the benefit of human health,” said Martin J. Blaser, director of the Rutgers Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine. “The interaction of the microbiome with cancer is an important frontier, with important leads already. Our project aims to discover new ways to improve cancer therapies.”

“We are privileged to be working with Martin Blaser, Fang Liu and their team on a project targeted at improving patient care in those undergoing chemotherapy and to combine the world-class science of Professor Blaser’s team with our broad portfolio of microbes to further advance the understanding of the intake of beneficial microbes on human health,” said Sébastien Guéry, Human Microbiome Venture leader at DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

The DuPont Human Microbiome Venture was launched in 2017 to spearhead the development of next-generation microbiome solutions for improved health and wellness.