Quadram Institute Bioscience and SKAN Research Trust to collaborate in Gut Microbiome Research

22nd May 2023

UK-based Quadram Institute Bioscience and SKAN Research Trust, promoted by Indian entrepreneur Mr Ashok Soota have entered into a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement to collaborate on research programmes focused on gut health and developing therapies that alleviate ageing and neurological diseases.

Prof Ian Charles and Mr Ashok Soota signing the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement. They are signing documents sat at a table covered in a black table cloth with the Quadram logo on it. On the table are the flags of the UK and India

Prof Ian Charles and Mr Ashok Soota signing the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement

Areas of interest in common: 

The Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) and SKAN Research Trust direct considerable research resources towards addressing gut health and the gut-cardiovascular and gut-brain axes. Important areas on which QIB and SKAN will collaborate under the terms of the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement include:

  • undertaking joint research projects in UK and India for the development of microbiome-based products that promote human health and treat neurological and age-related ailments;
  • technology transfer between the organizations to augment cutting-edge Indian research capabilities;
  • training of young Indian research scientists with Quadram Institute Bioscience and
  • study of large Indian population cohorts to develop India-specific therapies that alleviate ageing and neurological diseases.

Prof. Ian Charles, Director of Quadram Institute Bioscience, said, “Our agreement with SKAN Research Trust signals important new collaborations between scientists in the UK and India and underlines our global reach in terms of research into the gut microbiome, gut-brain axis and human health.”

Mr Ashok Soota, Chairman & Managing Trustee of SKAN, said, “We are delighted to be collaborating with Quadram Institute Bioscience, one of the global leaders in the field of gut microbiome research, particularly the gut-brain axis. The first project QIB and SKAN will undertake in terms of the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement will be “Microbiome-based Therapies to Alleviate Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.”

The people are lined up behind a table covered with a black cloth with the Quadram logo on it, and the flags of the UK and India on top of the table

(L-R) Prof Arjan Narbad, Prof Ian Charles, Mr Ashok Soota. Mr Davis Karedan (SKAN Chief Operating Officer/Trustee) & Dr Graeme Brown (Quadram Institute Bioscience Chief Business Officer)

Prof. Arjan Narbad, Professor of Translational Microbiome, Quadram Institute Bioscience, said, “This exciting new collaboration will accelerate our common research in modulation of the human gut microbiome for health benefits with particular focus on the Parkinson’s disease for which currently there is no cure.”

Dr Yogesh Shouche, Group Head, Gut Microbiology Research Division of SKAN, said, “We look forward to gaining from Quadram Institute Bioscience’s expertise in gut health research. We at SKAN hope to add value to the project findings by bringing in cohorts exposed to different environment conditions and diets.”

Prof Arjan Narbad, Group Leader, Translational Microbiome at QIB and Dr Yogesh Shouche, eminent gut microbiologist of SKAN will be the principal investigators of this research project. The India leg of the research project will commence once necessary approvals are secured from the Government of India.


About SKAN Research Trust

SKAN is a not-for-profit medical research trust focused on transformational technologies that will alter the future of medicine through the discovery of new therapies. SKAN’s areas of expertise include gut microbiome, human genomics, stem cells, and transformational artificial intelligence applied to areas of ageing and neurological ailments to achieve breakthrough therapies.

Related Targets

Targeting the understanding of the microbiome

Understanding the Microbiome

Related Research Groups

Narbad group

Arjan Narbad

Related Research Areas