Our gut contains a world of microorganisms that impact many aspects of our health, well beyond the gastrointestinal system.
 

In fact, more than 30 trillion bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses live in the digestive tract of every human, a number that is higher than the number of human cells that make up our body!
 

Each microbiome is unique to an individual, and its genetic heritage represents approximately 100 times that of the human genome.
 

This field is fascinating and science is advancing rapidly, as evidenced by the 2,000 publications generated monthly on the subject.
 

A better understanding of this remarkable ecosystem might bring critical answers to address numerous pathologies and health disorders.
 

This is the mission of Leo Grady and his team at Jona, whose technology enables microbiome analysis based on an at-home test, combined with artificial intelligence to reveal what the current literature says about each person's microbiome.
 

Unveiling the propensity for certain disease risks, along with individual nutritional preferences, Jona can model the body's reaction according to potential changes in the microbiome, and provide valuable insights on behaviors and nutrition that can ultimately improve one’s health.
 

A dive into the heart of the microbiome and its secrets, which today's technology is about to unlock!
 

Timeline:

• 02:32 - Leo’s journey from his PhD in computer vision to AI applications in medicine

• 06:47 - The idea behind Jona and understanding the microbiome better

• 10:33 - What we do know and ignore about the microbiome

• 13:05 - The Jona test kit and what it can interpret from one’s microbiome picture

• 20:17 - The volume and complexity of studies around the microbiome

• 22:11 - The impact of Jona and Leo’s son's story

• 25:38 - Who is Jona for

• 29:00 - Leo’s vision for the future of Jona and AI in healthcare

What we also talked about with Leo:

• Neural networks

• Siemens

• HeartFlow

• Paige AI

• Memorial Sloan Kettering

• Crohn’s disease

• Thomas Clozel

We cited with Leo some of the past episodes of the series:

• #32 - Accelerating radiology with AI - Amine Korchi - Radiologist

• #35 - Making surgery smarter and safer - Björn Von Siemens - Caresyntax

• #36 - Turning healthcare preventive with full-body MRI scans - Andrew Lacy - Prenuvo

• #40 - Cracking biology through AI - Jean-Philippe Vert - Owkin

As mentioned by Leo during the episode, we recommend looking at the Jona Journal which sheds light on the latest findings on the microbiome fueled by their research platform, and understanding the current literature.
 

Leo also recommends listening to The Mind-Gut Conversation Podcast by Emeran Meyer to find out more, and We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra as a complementary read.
 

You can follow Jona’s activities on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube, and get in touch with Leo via LinkedIn.
 

If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email!
 

And if you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! 🙏
 

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