Ayana Bio Awarded National Institutes of Health Grant to Harness Neuroprotective Benefits from Plant Cell-Cultivated Saffron
Summary
Funding will support Ayana Bios research examining the neuroprotective benefits of saffron for Huntingtons Disease and other neurological and age-related diseasesBOSTON, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- , the plant cell technology company dedicated to creating sustainable bioactives for consumer products, has received a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support Ayana Bios research into the production of saffrons neuroprotective bioactives through plant cell cultivation.demonstrate saffrons beneficial effects across a range of neurological and age-related diseases, such as , anxiety and Alzheimers disease. The company will use its high-throughput synthetic biology capabilities of sequencing, multi-omics technology, and analytical chemistry to explore and select the best plant cell lines. The research will also address how plant cell cultivation can enhance the production of saffrons bioactives by running a pre-clinical study on a C. elegans model of Huntingtons disease. "Saffron is a super ingredient for our brainsnot just our taste budsbut it remains untapped due to its exorbitant cost," said Frank Jaksch, CEO of Ayana Bio. "Todays grant from the NIH is a validation of plant cell cultivations ability to unlock botanicals like saffrons powerful benefits and improve health outcomes.