The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy acknowledged the American Gastroenterological Association's new microbiome initiatives.
AGA established the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education in 2012 and has been committed to the project ever since. Here are five things to know:
1. This year the AGA will invest $100,000 to support early-career investigators with new microbiome-focused grants. The AGA Research Foundation will provide the grants and is accepting applications for:
• AGA-Dannon Gut Microbiome in Health Award of $20,000
• AGA-Elsevier Gut Microbiome Pilot Research Award of $25,000
• AGA Microbiome Junior Investigator Research Award of $30,000
2. The AGA created a new Microbiome & Microbial Disease in Gastrointestinal Tract section to the AGA Institute Council. The session is designed to enhance collaboration between AGA members interested in the gut microbiome.
3. In the future, the Microbiome & Microbial Diseases in Gastrointestinal Tract section will be responsible for developing the microbiome-related programming for Digestive Disease Week.
4. Next spring the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education is hosting its first annual meeting on practical and clinical applications for the microbiome.
5. The AGA is joining the National Microbiome Initiative.