New York City, New York (March 12, 2019) – The pharmaceutical, agrochemical and cosmetic industries all have similar pathways to discovering new products. Historically, all three sectors have found more new products because of the unique chemistry that microorganisms produce. More than 50% of pharmaceuticals on the shelf today came directly, indirectly or inspirationally from the partial access of the 1% of microbes that could grow in the laboratory setting.

Therefore, the other 99% is virtually impossible to explore. However, if accessed and understood, this new chemistry could produce massive opportunities for valuable new products. We refer to the microbiome as the next frontier….

You’ve probably heard of the microbiome – in the context of human health. Currently, there’s a big focus on the microbiome. These are the microbes that live amongst us, and they exist in the trillions – a consortia of microogranisms,1 if you will. But don’t be alarmed – they live with us, not to harm, but simply to share our space. In certain circumstances, they can harm us, but usually they’re either benign or actually helpful.

Later, when time provides some perspective, reading old travel journals can inspire tears, laughter, even wistfulness. Good travel journaling tells the tales of our lives.

These microbes are everywhere, more accurately, the microbiota is everywhere – the microbiota include the following organisms living in a specific environmental niche…..

If you’ve ever built with Legos or watched someone else build with them, you know that there are hundreds of sizes of bricks, maybe thousands or even tens of thousands. Builders use small bricks to make larger masterpieces. Without different configurations of the smaller pieces, you can’t get to the larger picture – a functional larger sculpture or toy.

So, too, is the way of biology. Our bodies use smaller building blocks to be functional. Everyone’s heard of protein. Yes, it’s something you eat as a part of a balanced, healthy meal. Proteins are made of peptides, which are in turn made by amino acids. Amino acids are the individual Lego brick. When you put two or more of them together, you get a peptide, and when you create something even bigger, you get a protein. Proteins are large, complex molecules that play…..