Dr Richard J Davidson to Lead Research Project on Microbiome’s Impact on Emotional Well Being
Tokyo, June 21, 2022 — Corundum Systems Biology Inc. will sponsor an 18-month research project at the University of Wisconsin to elucidate relationships between emotional well-being (EWB) and microbiome. The sponsored research at the University’s Center for Healthy Minds (CHM) and the affiliated non-profit, Healthy Minds Innovations (HMI). The research will be led by Dr Richard J Davidson, Founder of the Center for Healthy Minds and Healthy Minds Innovations. The total sum of Corundum System Biology’s grant is USD430,000.
This research is part of CHM and HMI’s ongoing intervention study that explores the premise that training in well-being can be an effective preventative strategy to help mitigate the effects of ill-being. The particular research is the first time rigorous randomized control trials (RCT) of placebo design will take place to investigate EWB’s impact on the gut microbiome.
“While retrospective self-report measures have been a reasonable starting point for emotional well-being research, these measures have shortcomings, including bias due to social desirability and retrospective memory,” explains Dr Davidson on CHM’s directional focus. “Corundum Systems Biology’s contribution will allow us to gain computational analysis of microbiome data collected from patient samples, which will provide an objective and entirely novel domain in which to investigate well-being.”
Over the next 18 months Dr Davidson and his research team will collect and process 400 gut microbiome samples, extract DNA, seek metagenome sequencing, and implement metagenomic DNA sequence analysis.
“Through the research, we will deepen our understanding of whether well-being interventions alter the microbiome and responsiveness to simple meditation training can be predicted from microbiome markers,” elaborates Dr Davidson. “Understanding the first would lead to potential probiotic interventions. The second would help tailor interventions to individual patients.”
The gut microbiome has been associated with a range of EWB issues humans are vulnerable to, from depressive state of mind to autism and other neurological syndromes. Collectively, the research on the gut-brain axis is revealing powerful links that show a reciprocal interaction — the gut affects the brain and the brain affects the gut.
Corundum Systems Biology’s President Hidehiko Otake says: “There are only few studies yet that examine the influence of mindfulness or other forms of well-being training on the microbiome. One very recent report suggests that 8 weeks of standardized mindfulness training increases the diversity of the urinary microbiome in patients with interstitial cystitis.*
“We are pleased to play part in accelerating studies that advance preventive and personalized intervention to enhance patients’ mental and emotional health. We look forward to Dr Davidson’s findings.”
Corundum Systems Biology, a Japan-based company dedicated to facilitate microbiome research and business creation, was established on April 30, 2020.
*Source: Shatkin-Margolis et al., 2021.
Contact:
- marketing(at)csb.co.jp
- Public Relations, Corundum Systems Biology Inc. (03)5404-8590
About Corundum Systems Biology Inc.
Corundum Systems Biology aspires to become an Innovation Hub in the field of microbiome, a critical field with potential to unlock next-generation life science technologies and bettering human health and quality of life. The company, based in Japan, focuses on the field of microbiome in three business areas: development of new business, development of biometric database and data analysis platforms, and grant- giving to facilitate and hasten R&D. World renowned microbiome scientist Professor Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute of Science serves on its Scientific Advisory Board. Corundum Systems Biology was established in Tokyo in April 2020. Hidehiko Otake serves as its CEO. (https://www.csb.co.jp/)
