Verso Biosciences

"The truth is, we know very little about what we eat... but that's about to change." Converting Food Tradition Into Science With The Periodic Table of Food https://lnkd.in/gmMXqd7a

#DataSilos exist everywhere. In recent years, I’ve immersed myself in the world of #pharma where we talk about how data silos hinder collaboration. As I watched the live stream of the Food Tank’s “Celebrating food diversity, scientific advances, and community innovation,” I was surprised to hear Roy Steiner, SVP of the Food Initiative with the The Rockefeller Foundation refer to the same data silo challenges and the need to bring data together. Addressing this challenge is a core tenet of the The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) as the teams “map food quality based on bimolecular composition and associated meta-data on food system characteristics.” The goal? Improved understanding of the food components that we don’t see on a traditional nutrition label. This is the “Dark Matter of Food.” - What is the biomolecule fingerprint of an organically grown apple vs conventionally grown? - What about the fingerprint of a fruit grown in Costa Rica vs Indonesia? - What can we learn about the bimolecular fingerprints linked to different soils and farming practices, especially within indigenous cultures. The technology being used to gather these data? High resolution mass spectrometry. Jessica Prenni at Colorado State University described the standardized methods that the PTFI Centers of Excellence are using to map these foods. This is science at its best. Chi-Ming Chien, Steven Watkins and Tracy Shafizadeh from Verso Biosciences described the multi-omics platforms that they’ve designed to enable these analysis. Robert Hall from Wageningen University & Research cites the PTFI as the most exciting project he’s been involved with in 40 years. Some of the implications?? - Long-needed alliances between the fields of #agriculture, #nutrition, #PlanetaryHealth - Foundational research to better understand what food DOES and why certain foods have specific health benefits? - Regional preservation initiatives Implications down the road? - Enabling greater understanding of the microbiome and personalized nutrition based on real data On a personal note, the PTFI speaks to me because it is an embodiment of so many areas of science that I find meaningful. It is a link between my education (health sciences, natural sciences, nutrition, molecular biology), my experiences working for tech providers in the life science industry (ALPCO, Waters Corporation, AspenTech Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences), and my interests in gardening, cooking and social responsibility. Thank you to all of the speakers for making this exciting project happen! #EliminateDataSilos #collaboration

Join me in New York City for two magical days celebrating food diversity, scientific advances, and community innovation! An initiative of the The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI), The The Rockefeller Foundation, Food EDU, American Heart Association, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, the New York Botanical Garden, and Food Tank. Our day 2 lineup includes: Selena Ahmed, Periodic Table of Food Initiative / American Heart Association Endale Amare (PhD), Ethiopian Public Health Institute Reginald Annan, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Jackie Bertoldo, DrPH, MPH, RDN, American Heart Association Andres Jaramillo-Botero, California Institute of Technology Barbara Burlingame, PhD, Riddet Institute, New Zealand Chi-Ming Chien, Founder, Verso Biosciences. Kevin Cody, PhD, American Heart Association and Food EDU Fabrice DeClerck, EAT Director of Science and Senior Scientist, Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT of the CGIAR Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director, CGIAR Naomi Fukagawa, USDA Bruce German, UC Davis and Chair, PTFI Scientific Advisory Committee Carlos Alberto Faerron Guzmán, Planetary Health Alliance Robert Hall, Wageningen University & Research Bridget Holmes, FAO and Global INFOODS co-ordinator Gina Kennedy, Director of Research, PTFI, Alliance Bioversity and CIAT Vincent Lal, Laboratory Manager, the Institute of Applied Sciences at The University of the South Pacific Andrew Lowe, the University of Adelaide Greg Mandell, AHA Food is Medicine Natalia Vázquez Manjarrez, Researcher in Medical Sciences, INCMNSZ Daphne Miller, Family Physician and Clinical Professor, University of California San Francisco, and Research Scientist at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank Melanie Odenkirk, Research Scientist, Colorado State University and the Periodic Table of Food Initiative John de la Parra, Director, Food Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation Holly Picotte, MBA, PMP, Program Director, Data Solutions, American Heart Association Jessica Prenni, Colorado State University Maya Rajasekharan, Managing Director, Africa, Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT Juan Sanchez, graphical facilitator Tracy Shafizadeh, Director, Programs and Partnerships, Verso Biosciences Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President for the Food Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation Justin Siegel, UC-Davis Warangkana Srichamnong, Mahidol University Steven Watkins, Founder, Verso Biosciences, and more. Register here (via livesteam): https://lnkd.in/eNggDDH7