Science
The New Biology
It takes a brainforest.
Our Scientific Advisory Board is comprised of scientists, researchers, doctors, and authors across the fields of microbiology, immunology, genetics, metabolomics, gastroenterology, pediatrics, molecular biology, and transcriptomics—including primary investigators from the NIH’s Human Microbiome Project. They lead labs, teach at world-renowned academic institutions, and have among them 2800+ publications and over 140,000 citations in peer-reviewed scientific journals and textbooks.
Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Jacques Ravel PhD
Dr. George Church PhD
Dr. James Versalovic MD, PhD
Dr. Joseph Petrosino PhD
Dr. Janet Jansson PhD
Dr. Martin Blaser MD
Dr. Belinda Tan MD, PhD
Dr. John Ryals PhD
Dr. Geoffrey Preidis MD, PhD
Dr. Shruti Naik PhD
Dr. Maurizio Fava MD
Dr. Alessio Fasano MD
Chief Scientist
Dr. Gregor Reid PhD, MBA
The Seed Platform
Technology
Our platform includes Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME), flow cytometry, whole genome sequencing, functional metagenomics, untargeted metabolomics, and a proprietary screening platform to isolate mechanistic pathways in a host model built on intellectual property exclusively licensed from The Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School.
Probiotic Strain Bank
Our strain collection includes probiotic strains banked in Italy, Denmark, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Spain, Japan, and the United States. Our collection of strains, methods of use, finished formulations, and scale-up processes are unique to Seed and not found in yoghurt, fermented foods, or ‘probiotic’ beverages.
All of our strains have GRAS and/or QPS (Qualified Presumption of Safety) status under the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA). They are not cultured with, and are free from the 14 Classes of Allergens defined in Annex IIIa of Directive 2007/68/EC.Directive 2007/68/EC.
Biofermentation / Microbial Stabilization
Every microbe has its own preferred growth medium and ideal fermentation parameters for maximum viability as a probiotic. Our bacteria are biofermented in conditions optimized for pH, temperature, oxygen, water activity, and 26 other growth factors. Our mediums do not contain meat or dairy. Biofermentation of all strains are conducted under cGMP and HACCP guidelines.
Testing
Our mechanistic research includes human cell line testing (Caco-2), in vitro research (TEER test), short-chain fatty acid testing, gastrointestinal transit assays measuring resistance to biological substances (stomach acid, primary bile salts, secondary bile salts, digestive enzymes), and a genomic pathway model evaluating oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects on specific pathways (Nrf2) in the human body.
Clinical Work
To date, our strains have collectively been studied in 16 strain-specific, double-blind, placebo-controlled, published human studies conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Japan, as well as 13 in vitro/ex vivo mechanistic studies. Primary and secondary outcomes demonstrate statistically significant improvements in multiple markers of gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, and dermatological health. These studies are published in peer-reviewed journals like Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, Scientific Reports (Nature), and JAMA Dermatology, and are all indexed to PubMed, the central database for life science journal literature at the National Institute of Health.
While we won’t hyperbolize where the science is today, we do believe microbiome research has a promising future. We work closely with our braintrust to ensure our pipeline and communications reflect our commitment to precision, accountability, and efficacy.
Earth to Science
Science has a communication problem.
It can feel cold and complicated,
yet the warm and simple often misinform.
We believe the translation of science is foundational to human health. Awakening your inner scientist leads to better questions, better choices, and better health.