The biomedical company of the Science Park of the University of Valencia (PCUV) participates in a European project funded with 4 million euros to develop innovative foods that improve metabolic health and prevent chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes
EpiDisease SL is part of the DiBaN consortium, a pioneering initiative selected by the European Innovation Council (EIC) within the Food Chain Technologies, Novel & Sustainable Food challenge. This project, which will be funded with 4 million euros over the next four years, aims to develop novel foods that promote a microbiome-metabolic interfacehealthy host, key to the prevention of dysbiosis and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
The participation of EpiDisease in DiBaN came at the invitation of Dr. María Monsalve, co-principal investigator of the project and member of the Sols-Morreale Biomedical Research Institute (IIBM, CSIC-UAM). With its expertise in epigenetics and gene expression, EpiDisease will contribute to studies of DNA methylation in animal and human models, as well as the development of machine learning algorithms that will help predict the impact of diet on individual metabolic health.
EpiDisease will develop artificial intelligence models to predict how a change in diet can influence the metabolic health of each individual
A key meeting for consortium coordination
Recently, DiBaN representatives participated in the first face-to-face meeting in Brussels, organised at the premises of the European Innovation and SMEs Council Executive Agency (EISMEA). At this meeting, the eight consortia selected under the EIC’s Pathfinder call shared strategies and established agreements on project portfolio governance. As a result, four Working Groups were created: Regulation, Technology, Business Development and Communication, with the participation of all members.
Within this framework, EpiDisease member James Webb was chosen as coordinator of the Business Development Working Group, reflecting the importance of the company in creating innovative solutions in the field of precision nutrition.
James Webb, member of EpiDisease, was chosen as coordinator of the Business Development Working Group. Photo: Epidisease
The role of EpiDisease in the DiBaN project
EpiDisease will play a key role in research into how diet can influence metabolic health through epigenetics and artificial intelligence.
On the one hand, the company will carry out methylation studies in both mouse and human samples to analyse how the introduction of cricket meal into the diet may affect DNA regulation. This analysis will help to better understand the relationship between certain foods and genetic expression, providing valuable data for the development of precision nutrition strategies.
DiBaN project aims to create innovative foods that promote a healthy interface between the microbiome and human metabolism, key in preventing chronic diseases
On the other hand, EpiDisease will be responsible for integrating and processing all data obtained throughout the project, using advanced artificial intelligence techniques. Through the training of machine learning algorithms, the company will develop models able to predict how a change in diet can affect an individual’s health. These models represent a significant advance in the field of personalized feeding, providing tools to design diets tailored to each person’s specific metabolic needs.
Innovation for healthier and more sustainable food
The DiBaN project represents a disruptive step in the development of precision functional foods. Based on the interaction between the gut microbiome and the host metabolism, the consortium is working to create ex vivo platforms that simulate the environment of dysbiosis and insulin resistance, with validation by in vivo omics data.
One of DiBaN’s most innovative approaches is to explore the use of insects as a sustainable food source. In this sense, the domestic cricket (Acheta domesticus) will be studied, whose diet will be optimized with extracts of microalgae rich in bioactives to improve its nutritional profile and ensure its positive impact on human metabolic health.
In addition, all the information generated will be integrated into an artificial intelligence-based application, designed to predict personalized responses to nutritional interventions, which will enable significant advances in precision feeding.
Challenges and opportunities in precision nutrition
Precision nutrition faces significant regulatory, technological and consumer acceptance challenges. However, it also represents a unique opportunity to develop innovative and customized products with benefits for both public health and the sustainability of the food system.
EpiDisease believes that initiatives like DiBaN will transform the food ecosystem in the coming years, promoting evidence-based approaches to the design of new dietary solutions. Its commitment to innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration reinforces its role within the consortium and in the future of precision feeding.
Supported by the EIC and EISMEA, DiBaN’s consortium of companies and research centres takes responsibility for leading this transformation and providing scientific evidence on the relationship between diet and chronic non-communicable diseases, laying the foundations for the future of personalized nutrition.
About EpiDisease
EpiDisease is a biotechnology company specialized in epigenetics and biomarkers for personalized health. With strong expertise in the development of diagnostic and prediction tools, the company collaborates on innovative projects that seek to integrate biotechnology with machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions in the health and nutrition field.
Photos: EpiDisease