Human health & Nutrition
AIBIOMICs and HORAIZON are joining forces
Understanding your microbial health should be simple and clear. We make this possible by turning your microbiome data into a digital format through our platform, available on both mobile and web. With AIBiomics and HORAIZON working together, we offer an easy and non-invasive way to monitor and assess your gut health, giving you insights into whether your diet supports a balanced microbiome.
AIBiomics has created an advanced and rapid gut microbiota analysis tool that can be used to manage diabetes, pediatric ailments, colorectal cancer, and chronic bowel disorders. By utilizing this technology, we aim to provide precise, fast, and accessible health diagnostics, improving personalized healthcare outcomes.
More precisely it can assist individuals, particularly those with gastrointestinal disorders, in managing their microbial health and enhancing their overall well-being, such as through dietary adjustments. The results can be easily obtained by simply uploading a photo to the AIBiomics app. This technology has been tested on thousands of samples, showing it’s reliable for checking health and identifying biomarkers that are related to an imbalanced microbiome.
AIBiomics is working with HORAIZON BV and the Microbiome Sequence Facility at Amsterdam UMC to improve the MicrobeLink app. The technology behind this platform, patented by HORAIZON BV, uses advanced machine learning and image analysis to identify patterns from a small fecal sample placed on white paper and photographed with a smartphone. UvA Ventures Holding supports this project by investing in innovative research from the University of Amsterdam, helping to bring these advanced solutions to the market effectively.
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Check our other projects and collaborations
HORAIZON is partnering with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) on the ‘GEEF om je buik’ study. We’re using the MicrobeLink platform to analyze participants’ gut microbiota. Our aim is to provide immediate feedback on how their diet influences their microbiome, guiding them toward healthier choices.
To analyse gut microbiota has been challenging and invasive because it often requires procedures like endoscopies for sample collection, which can be uncomfortable and also carry risks. The process involves advanced techniques and specialized equipment, making it both time-consuming and expensive task to do. Apart from that, the data from the analysis can be extensive and complicated, requiring a team of experts such as microbiologists, R&D specialists, and bioinformaticians, who use advanced bioinformatics tools to interpret and understand it accurately. Furthermore, the gut microbiome is highly variable among individuals and can change rapidly based on diet, environment, and other factors. Consequently, this variability adds another layer of complexity to the analysis. Therefore, the overall complexity of the process increases significantly.
However, the ‘GEEF om je buik’ study, led by Remco Kort, Nicole de Wit, Marieke van de Put, and Maartje van den Belt from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Wageningen University & Research, aims to simplify this process. Given these challenges, HORAIZON is partnering with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) on the ‘GEEF om je buik’ study.
The research project, titled GEEF (Gut Health Enhancement by Eating Favourable foods), is a randomized controlled trial involving 150 healthy adults. Participants will follow two different dietary interventions and receive direct feedback on how these diets affect their gut microbiota. The research will also examine the impact on 92 inflammatory markers, gastrointestinal health, well-being, and sleep.
By incorporating this technology, we could improve preventive care and offer a more cost-effective and accessible way to monitor health.
Humans have coexisted with microbes for millions of years, leading to a vital relationship with these microorganisms, particularly in the gut. From birth, your gut microbiome starts to shape your health, with exposure to microbes occurring first during delivery, and possibly even before birth. As you age, the diversity of your gut bacteria increases, which is beneficial for your overall health. Paradoxically enough, your diet plays a significant role in this diversity, meaning that he variety of foods you consume can impact how your microbiome functions. A well-balanced microbiome supports various bodily functions. This implies that, higher level of microbiome diversity indicates better health.For example, it helps digest fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids which are essential for gut health and potentially protecting against weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Not only that but it also plays a crucial role in regulating your immune system, influencing how your body reacts to infections while interacting with immune cells. Recent studies even suggest that your gut microbiome may impact brain health by affecting the central nervous system. Overall, your gut microbiome significantly influences many aspects of your health and well-being.
HORAIZON’s new platform, Micrognostics, links mental health with the microbiome and optimal nutrition. We are exploring the connection between gut microbiome and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and chronic depression. Our new service, NeuraBiome, represents a significant advancement in personalized medicine. NeuraBiome uses AI and advanced microbiome screening to study how gut bacteria might impact brain health. It focuses on the unique microbial profile of each person to improve disease diagnosis and personalize treatment based on their specific microbiome. This approach offers the promise to enhance diagnostic accuracy and make treatments more effective than traditional methods, ultimately leading to better results for patients.
EpiPredict is a software tool designed to help doctors choose the best treatment for Crohn’s Disease by analyzing genetic data from patients aged 18 to 80. It predicts how well patients might respond to medications like Vedolizumab and Ustekinumab, aiming to improve treatment precision and patient outcomes. Although EpiPredict doesn’t directly treat or prevent the disease, it helps healthcare professionals make more informed decisions, potentially leading to better results and fewer side effects. The tool is used in clinical settings, hospitals, and specialized clinics where doctors and specialists can access it through secure internet connections. The EPIC-CD study supports this by exploring how DNA methylation patterns in blood samples can predict patient responses to these drugs, further enhancing treatment accuracy.
Currently, choosing the right medication for Crohn’s disease, such as Vedolizumab, Ustekinumab, or Adalimumab, often involves random assignment and lengthy waiting times to assess efficacy through colonoscopy. Unfortunately, this process can result in prolonged suffering if treatments are ineffective. The Epigenetics Project aims to overcome this by employing machine learning to predict which drug is most likely to work for each patient, thus providing personalized treatment recommendations and improving overall patient care.
HORAIZON is collaborating with Amsterdam UMC, including clinicians, doctors, and bioinformaticians, as well as the Erasmus MC Incubator for this specific project. The initiative focuses on using patient samples from hospitals to develop a classification model that tailors drug recommendations based on individual epigenetic profiles.
The Epigenetics Project is transforming how we treat Crohn’s Disease by leveraging machine learning and genetic data for more personalized drug choices. With HORAIZON working alongside Amsterdam UMC and the Erasmus MC Incubator, we’re aiming to enhance patient care and outcomes. This groundbreaking approach could redefine precision medicine for complex conditions.