Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) is a chronic condition that affects gut health, leading to malnutrition, stunted growth, and other health problems. The condition is prevalent in many parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where access to clean water and sanitation facilities is limited.
The CapScan is a non-invasive device that samples the microbes and metabolites in the small intestines. The research team will use the CapScan device to analyze the gut microbiome of pregnant women in Bangladesh, Zambia, Pakistan and Senegal.
“We are thrilled to be working with David Relman, MD, and his Stanford Medicine team to use this cutting-edge technology to study environmental enteropathy in a way that has never been done before,” said Dari Shalon PhD, Founder and CEO of Envivo Bio. “By understanding the impact of the gut microbiota and associated metabolites on the gut health of expecting mothers, we may be able to facilitate development of targeted interventions to improve the health and well-being of these women and their babies.”
David Relman, MD, is the Thomas C. and Joan M. Merigan Professor of Medicine, and Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford Medicine.
The Envivo and Stanford Medicine research team will work closely with in-country experts to collect data and samples from pregnant women. These data will be analyzed using advanced bioinformatics tools to identify key microbial and metabolites markers that can be used to diagnose and assess the effectiveness of future treatments for EED.
The Envivo team hopes that the study will inform the development of new diagnostic tools and interventions to address EED and improve the health and well-being of women and children in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
