Preeminent researcher leading largest prospective, multi-trail COVID studies in U.S. and first ever clinical investigation on potential COVID-microbiome connection

Media Briefing Opportunity: Preeminent researcher leading largest prospective, multi-trail COVID studies in U.S. and first ever clinical investigation on potential COVID-microbiome connection

Why do some people have severe reactions to COVID whereas others do not?  Are there overlooked or unexplained factors in how people respond to the COVID virus connected to their gut microbiome? Could microbiome predict the severity of illness among those exposed to the virus?

Those are just a few of the questions being explored in a first-of-its-kind, clinical investigations being led by Martin Blaser, M.D., one of world’s preeminent experts on the human microbiome, immunity and chronic diseases. Dr. Blaser, professor of medicine and microbiology at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and director of Rutgers University’s Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, is author of the global, best-selling book Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling Our Modern Plagues (he predicted a pandemic in this book). He has conducted numerous studies demonstrating the role of the microbiome to immunity and diseases and now exploring if there is a potential connection with COVID.  In June 2020, Dr. Blaser and colleagues at Rutgers and the Cleveland Clinic began research into the potential microbiome-COVID connection as part of the United States’ largest prospective, multi-trail study of those exposed to COVID-19, including hundreds of healthcare workers enrolled in the study.    

On Wednesday, September 23^rd from 1:30-2:00 PM ET, Dr. Blaser will provide an exclusive look at the studies underway, more about his hypothesis on the microbiome-disease connection and share other initial insights from the broader COVID study. This invitation-only briefing will be hosted by Miguel Freitas, Ph.D., vice president of health and scientific affairs at Danone North America. (Danone is a research funder, but the research does not involve their products nor involvement in study design).  Dr. Blaser will answer questions during the briefing and/or attendees can request advance or follow-up information.

To register to participate in this invitation-only briefing and for additional information, contact Michael Schiferl, Executive Vice President, Weber Shandwick at [email protected].  Attendees will receive instructions for virtual attendance upon confirmed interest.