Research grants available for young probiotics researchers

Companies active in the probiotics field are aiming to expand scientific knowledge of the relationship between probiotics, gastrointestinal microbiota and the body, with two new $50,000 research grants (application deadline, Feb. 16, 2010).

To help promote probiotics and build relationships with researchers and institutions, Danone and Yakult formed the Global Probiotics Council (GPC) in 2004. For the last two years the partners have offered funding for young investigators to carry out new research on probiotics.

This year the focus is on the role of probiotics and gastrointestinal mictobiota, and the goal is to provide preliminary data that will attract future funding from the National Institute of Health and other sources.

The rules state that applicants, who may be senior fellows with a committed faculty appointment or faculty members with a max of five years of their first appointment, must be in the United States.

Further details, including information on applying for the Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research, can be found at www.probioticsresearch.com