About
ProDigest
ProDigest is a spin-off company from the Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), located at Ghent University (Belgium) and was founded by dr. ir. Sam Possemiers, dr. Massimo Marzorati and dr. ir. Willy Verstraete.
ProDigest's services in the field of gastrointestinal transit, bioavailability and metabolism are based on the application of an extensive in vitro technology platform which was developed at LabMET and which is organized round a dynamic simulation model of the gastrointestinal tract, called the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME). This technology platform is combined with a wide range of in vitro assays, animal trials and proof-of-concept human intervention studies.
From in vitro to human trials: a complete approach to test or to jointly develop our customers' products.
Founders ProDigest
Sam Possemiers
has a master degree in Bioscience Engineering and obtained the McKinsey Young Scientist Price for his PhD work on the relationship between microorganisms and the activity of phytoestrogens from hops. He has been using and improving the technology platform round the SHIME and won 5 scientific awards based on results generated with the model.
Massimo Marzorati
has a master degree in Environmental and Alimentary Biotechnology and is an expert in microbial ecology and analysis of mixed microbial communities. He obtained a PhD on "Microbial ecology of complex environments" awarded by the Italian Society of Microbiology and Biotechnology as the best italian thesis in year 2007. He also gained expertise on gastrointestinal microbiology.
Willy Verstraete
has been professor at Ghent University and organized LabMET around the central theme of mixed microbial communities and microbial resource management. He obtained the 5-year prize for scientific excellence of the Belgian Science Foundation and several other international prizes. He also has a track-record of starting up several spin-off companies from LabMET.
Publications
A selection of publications from Ghent University and ProDigest involving the use of the SHIME technology platform
“Arabinogalactan and fructooligosaccharides improve the gut barrier functionality in different areas of the colon in the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem.”
J Funct Foods (2016). 20: 369–379.
Daguet, David et al.
“The HMI™ module: a new tool to study the Host-Microbiota Interaction in the human gastrointestinal tract in vitro.”
BMC Microbiol. (2014). 14: 133.
Marzorati, Massimo et al.
“Arabinoxylans and Inulin Differentially Modulate the Mucosal and Luminal Gut Microbiota and Mucin-degradation in Humanized Rats.”
Environ Microbiol (2011). 13: 2667–2680.
Van den Abbeele, Pieter et al.
“A novel hypromellose capsule, with acid resistance properties, permits the targeted delivery of acid-sensitive products to the intestine.”
LWT- Food Science and Technology (2015). 60: 544-551.
Marzorati, Massimo et al.
“Decreased colonization of fecal Clostridium coccoides/Eubacterium rectale species from ulcerative colitis patients in an in vitro dynamic gut model with mucin environment”
FEMS Microbiol Ecol. (2012) 79: 685-96
Vermeiren, Joan et al.