[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Since September 2023, the INFORM Hub has awarded over \u00a3846k across nineteen Flexible Mobility Awards (FMA), Business Interaction Vouchers (BIV), and Feasibility Study projects. This investment, combined with over \u00a3648k contributed by project partners, has resulted in a total research investment exceeding \u00a31,494,000.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section title=”2025 Funding Awards” tab_id=”1768236254602-41db495a-91df”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Project Partners: More info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Aim:\u00a0 <\/strong>Supporting this project will enable INFORM to fundamentally reshape the UK\u2019s prebiotic and probiotic market. The creation of accessible educational tools, including guides and apps, for both consumers and medical practitioners, will drive industry research towards scientifically supported health claims. This will empower consumer choices and bring much-needed clarity to the market.<\/p>\n This is a unique opportunity for INFORM to play a globally recognised, pivotal role. The resources will transform the prebiotic and probiotic landscape by educating consumers, industry, and healthcare providers, increasing demand for well-researched products. Concurrently, it will provide policymakers and government bodies with access to peer-reviewed information on market products. Beyond simply reshaping the market, this initiative holds significant potential to improve the health of the nation.<\/p>\n More info & access the guide\u2026.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Project Partners: More info\u2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Project Partners: More info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Partners: More info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Partners: More info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Partners: More info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Partners: More info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Team: More info…<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”2024 Funding Awards” tab_id=”1768236189719-9102ca10-5ca3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Dr Andrea Monteagudo-Mera \u2013 University of Reading (PI), Epigenetics Ltd<\/p>\n Project Aims:\u00a0 <\/strong>This project aims to contribute valuable insights into probiotic interventions for women experiencing perimenopausal symptoms. Sharing the project\u2019s findings through the INFORM Hub aims to promote collaboration and knowledge dissemination within the scientific community, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes for women during this critical life stage.<\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Dr Oliver Gibson \u2013 Brunel University London (PI), Professor Adele Costabile \u2013 University of Roehampton (Co-I), Dr Adam Bruton \u2013 Brunel University London (Co-I), BENEO (Industry Partner)<\/p>\n Project Aim:\u00a0 <\/strong>This project aims to determine whether enhanced gut health attenuates the post-exercise inflammatory response and provides mechanistic insight into gut health\u2019s role in mitigating bacterial endotoxin translocation. It will provide mechanistic insight via the exercise-heat challenge model, understanding how to attenuate negative responses to exercise in the heat.<\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0<\/strong> Dr Steve Marshall \u2013 Northumbria University (PI), Symprove Ltd (Industry Partner)<\/p>\n Project Aims:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>POWER will initiate and grow a novel collaboration focused on the impact of functional food on the female microbiome. It aims to investigate its role in improving sports performance and recovery from exertion in female athletes, and better understand its potential for alleviating gut-related menstrual cycle symptoms.<\/p>\n Project Partners:<\/strong>\u00a0 Professor Nathalie Juge \u2013 Quadram Institute Bioscience (PI), Clasado Ltd (Industry Partner)<\/p>\n Project Aim:\u00a0<\/strong> Data generated by this project will be used to support the development of larger translational grants on the role of specific GOS on inflammation and their large-scale production. This project aims to spark wider collaboration between Clasado Biosciences and QIB, exploring prebiotics for human health, including through human clinical trials.<\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Dr Daniel Lamport \u2013 University of Reading (PI), Clasado Ltd (Industry Partner)<\/p>\n Project Aim:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>The primary aim of the research is to investigate whether 42 days of daily prebiotic consumption is associated with changes in psychological stress in a sample of mildly stressed healthy adults. Stress will be assessed with a validated questionnaire shown to be sensitive to nutritional interventions in previous studies.<\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Dr Niharika Duggal \u2013 University of Birmingham (PI), Professor Philip Calder \u2013 University of Southampton, Dr Jorge Gutierrez-Merino \u2013 University of Surrey, Professor Glenn Gibson \u2013 University of Reading, Dr Rahul Mahida \u2013 University of Birmingham, Cultech Ltd, Yakult UK, Dr Nick Swart, Dr Rachael Hunter \u2013 University College London<\/p>\n Project Aim:\u00a0 T<\/strong>he project aims to effectively contribute towards knowledge translation, ranging from publishing the impact documents through academic journals, communications with media, networks [ Food4Years] to raise public health awareness and engagement with policy makers and government agencies (e.g. through APPGs) to maximise the impact.<\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Dr Shane Gordon \u2013 (NICHE) Ulster University (PI), Dr Catherine Hughes\u00a0 \u2013 (NICHE) Ulster University, Professor Helene McNulty \u2013 (NICHE) Ulster University, Dr Michelle Clements \u2013 (NICHE) Ulster University, Dr Fiona Lithander \u2013 University of Auckland, Richelle Flanagan \u2013 NutritionWise Ireland, Professor Kieran Tuohy \u2013 University of Leeds, ABCV Nutrition Ltd<\/p>\n Project Aim:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Aims to consolidate existing evidence on the benefits of gut-modulating products, demonstrating their potential in addressing gastrointestinal and mental health symptoms, ultimately improving the quality of life in PwPD. Produce a clear and accessible document for stakeholders in the Parkinson\u2019s Disease community to be able to engage with findings.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”2023 Funding Awards” tab_id=”1768236189718-1c245419-3063″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Project Partners: <\/strong>Professor Adele Costabile \u2013 University of Roehampton (PI), Dr Piril Hepsomali \u2013 University of Reading (Co-I), veMico Ltd (Industry Partner).<\/p>\n Project Aims:\u00a0 <\/strong>This project aims to screen VMK-GOS-LB, VMK223, and in a combined manner, to select a gut health targeting formulation that has the potential to improve sleep, based on the expression levels of genes involved in circadian rhythm and gut barrier function.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n More Info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Dr Anthony Buckley- University of Leeds (PI), Optibiotix Health PLC (Industry Partner).<\/p>\n Project Aims:\u00a0 <\/strong>This study addresses new collaboration between industry and academia in functional foods through understanding the microbiome impact to improve WellBiome and support technology pull-through from academia to support industry in developing new health-supporting products.<\/p>\n More Info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Project Partners:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Dr Steven Trangmar- Leeds Beckett University (PI), Professor Adele Costabile \u2013 University of Roehampton (Co-I), Dr Adam Bruton \u2013 Brunel University London (Co-I), BioAtlantis Ltd (Industry Partner)<\/p>\n Project Aims:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>This project will explore the combined effects of a novel blend of Ascophyllum nodosum extract supplementation, concurrent with an aerobic exercise programme, on exercise capacity, cardiometabolic and gut health, and psychological predictors of exercise adherence.<\/p>\n More Info\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Since September 2023, the INFORM Hub has awarded over \u00a3846k across nineteen Flexible Mobility Awards (FMA), Business Interaction Vouchers (BIV), and Feasibility Study projects. This investment, combined with over \u00a3648k…Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":711,"featured_media":1361,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"coauthors":[13],"class_list":["post-1320","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/297\/2025\/05\/Research-innovation.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/711"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1320"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1631,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1320\/revisions\/1631"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/inform-innovation-hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/strong>Dr Harry Jarrett \u2013 Heights (PI)
\nDr Catherine Hughes \u2013 (NICHE) Ulster University
\nDr Ryan McNally \u2013 King\u2019s College London
\nMs Sophie Medlin \u2013 City Dieticians
\nMs Lisa Holton \u2013 Heights<\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong>Dr Leane Hoey \u2013 Ulster University (PI)
\nProfessor Kieran Tuohy \u2013 University of Leeds
\nProfessor Helene McNulty \u2013 Ulster University
\nMr Willie Wixted \u2013 ABC Nutrition Ltd
\nDr Elaine Vaughan \u2013 Sensus B,V<\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong>Dr Dennis Golm \u2013 University of Southampton (PI)
\nDr Caroline Childs \u2013 University of Southampton
\nMr Richard Day \u2013 ADM Protexin Ltd<\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong>Dr James Hobkirk, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (PI)
\nDr Sofia Kolida, Optibiotix Health PLC<\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong>Dr Gemma Walton, University of Reading (PI)
\nSarah Danaher, Project Manager & Author<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n<\/strong>Dr Michael Patterson \u2013 University of Roehampton (PI)
\nProfessor Adele Costabile \u2013 University of Roehampton
\nMr Mohsin Laginaf \u2013 The Prebiotic Company Ltd
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong>Dr Neil Williams \u2013 Nottingham Trent University (PI)
\nMr Connor Parker \u2013 Nottingham Trent University
\nDr Arthur Constantijn \u2013 IFF
\nHenna-Maria Kailanto \u2013 IFF\/Danisco (UK) Ltd
\nOliver Hasselwander \u2013 IFF\/Danisco (UK) Ltd
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong>Professor Ana Rodriguez-Mateos \u2013 Kings College London (PI)
\nMonica Martini \u2013 The Tula Code<\/p>\n\n
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