By Sheldon Baker07.06.23
Dr. Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk is the CEO and co-founder of Canomiks. She earned a PhD in pharmacology from Tulane University and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management. She is an accomplished life science professional and assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School with extensive experience in industry and academia. Pradhan-Nabzdyk co-founded Canomiks with her colleagues from Harvard Medical School to bring their collective expertise in science, health, and wellness to the food, beverage, and the dietary supplement industries. Canomiks has received several grants including the prestigious National Science Foundation SBIR grant to develop new standards for the botanical ingredient industry using genomics, bioinformatics, and AI technologies. Pradhan-Nabzdyk also serves on the community board of trustees of the non-profit organization, Jeremiah Program.
Health E-Insights (HEI): Share a little about your GeneTune technology and AI-based platform. What does it offer a customer?
Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk: GeneTune is our algorithm-based, state-of-the-art, proprietary technology. It was developed using cutting-edge omics science, data analytics, machine learning, and bioinformatics. It can be used to invent formulations that target specific chronic conditions and wellness outcomes as well as for designing personalized formulations.
Our GeneTune software is developed using Canomiks’ two different proprietary databases. The first database consists of human gene interactions of 250+ botanicals, 35 micronutrients, and eight common contaminants of functional foods, beverages, and dietary supplements (FFBDS). The second database consists of human gene expression networks of 30+ chronic conditions. We analyzed thousands of data points from clinical trials and peer-reviewed articles, genomics, and bioinformatics to develop GeneTune and continue to update these databases as new information is available.
GeneTune has the ability to repurpose formulations or create new and effective FFBDS products to counteract the gene networks of common chronic conditions or to maintain wellness. The process takes less time than traditional R&D, thus saving our customers time and money.
In recent years, consumers are doing more research on FFBDS products and questioning efficacy. We believe GeneTune will address unmet needs in the industry and retail space. As a startup company, we are seeking partners to bring these formulations and personalized service to the market.
HEI: You can offer customized lab services?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: Our lab services include product validation, ingredient testing, and certification solutions. For a given single or multi-ingredient formulation, our product validation service can be used to identify new health and wellness indications, discover mechanisms of action of the formulation, support existing and new structure-function claims, design efficient clinical trials, source ingredients, compare different extraction methods, or provide a cost-effective method to design clinical trials to increase odds of success. Most importantly, our service helps differentiate products.
We validate the biological effect of single and multi-ingredient formulations using commercially available human cells. Using gene sequencing technology and our proprietary bioinformatics tools, we can identify different genes a given formulation can affect and thereby different human conditions a given formulation can affect.
For example, a customer might come to us looking to validate an ingredient with gut health benefits. Using appropriate human cells, we can test the effect of the ingredient on gut health related genes. Or another customer may want to know all the different benefits their formulation may have, and we can test the effect of that formulation in 20,000+ human genes.
Customers use our technology to help develop new products, discover new benefits for existing ingredients and products, determine the mechanism of action, and repurpose products for new health conditions.
Through funding by the National Science Foundation, we are developing an exciting new technology platform that can be used for testing and certifying the biological effect of ingredients for every batch in a cost- and time-effective manner. We are developing biological effect benchmarks for ingredients using bioinformatics and AI technology. Customer samples from every batch will be tested in our lab and compared to the benchmark. We then provide a report with a quality score comparing the sample to the benchmark and a list of top genes impacted by the ingredient. Plus, customers receive the Canomiks’ seal of approval: CanTRUST by Canomiks to use on packaging and marketing. Customers can use the information in the report on marketing materials, helping consumers make buying decisions.
HEI: Another service you provide is matching suppliers with consumer product companies. This is quite unique.
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: Companies that validate and test their products with us become part of our customer database. So yes, you could call our database a matchmaker for ingredient suppliers and CPG companies and manufacturers. For example, let’s say a company wants to find an ingredient to create a product that supports joint health. We can match them with a supplier whose botanical passed our biological testing.
HEI: You mentioned a testing kit mailer you are developing that may be the first of its kind.
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: As scientists, our co-founding team is always looking to develop science-based technologies that will make our products and services accessible to all stakeholders in the industry. Our vision is to develop a kit that can be used at the customer’s location for testing the biological effect of the ingredient, so the customer does not have to ship their sample to our location.
HEI: Your goal is to educate suppliers as well as consumers about what goes into product development?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: Like the “farm to table” movement in recent years, consumers are paying more attention to ingredient efficacy and safety in FFBDS products. In addition, retailers have shown interest in our services so they can provide safe and efficacious products to their customers.
Our goal is to educate the end consumer about the different ingredients, provide information around the effects of the ingredients and simplify any scientific information for an ingredient. A well-informed consumer is a happy consumer.
HEI: As a relatively new company, how do you find clients and how do they find you?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: We’re fortunate to be building a strong network in the FFBDS industry. As a startup company, we graciously welcome meetings and conversations with anyone in the FFBDS industry, or who’s interested in Canomiks. We present at industry trade shows, conferences, as well as scientific meetings. We are already becoming the go-to-science company in the industry. Moreover, we truly believe in our mission “Making food as medicine a reality” and have received supportive feedback from both consumers, customers, and retailers. It’s a very exciting time to be part of the FFBDS industry and we look forward to making a positive impact on the industry.
HEI: You have received numerous business honors. At the same time, as CEO, what keeps you up at night?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: While genomics, bioinformatics, and AI technologies are routinely used in drug development by the pharma-biotech companies, they are still new in the natural product industry. I sometimes wonder if it is still too early to use these technologies in the natural products industry. When you are trying to fundamentally change something, change is hard to come. But I have confidence that forward-thinking, science-focused, and consumer-centric companies in the nutraceuticals world will embrace our technology.
HEI: CBD is starting to go through rigorous testing. Is that an area your company is involved with?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: In the beginning stages, we intended to focus on the CBD space. However, our strategy changed during the Covid pandemic when consumers were buying more dietary supplements. We see a benefit and need for testing products with popular ingredients like turmeric, elderberry, cranberry, and ashwagandha. However, we hope to test CBD in the future as well.
About the Author: Sheldon Baker is CEO of Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical brand marketing communications and public relations campaigns for well-known supplement and food industry companies. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or brand marketing consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
Health E-Insights (HEI): Share a little about your GeneTune technology and AI-based platform. What does it offer a customer?
Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk: GeneTune is our algorithm-based, state-of-the-art, proprietary technology. It was developed using cutting-edge omics science, data analytics, machine learning, and bioinformatics. It can be used to invent formulations that target specific chronic conditions and wellness outcomes as well as for designing personalized formulations.
Our GeneTune software is developed using Canomiks’ two different proprietary databases. The first database consists of human gene interactions of 250+ botanicals, 35 micronutrients, and eight common contaminants of functional foods, beverages, and dietary supplements (FFBDS). The second database consists of human gene expression networks of 30+ chronic conditions. We analyzed thousands of data points from clinical trials and peer-reviewed articles, genomics, and bioinformatics to develop GeneTune and continue to update these databases as new information is available.
GeneTune has the ability to repurpose formulations or create new and effective FFBDS products to counteract the gene networks of common chronic conditions or to maintain wellness. The process takes less time than traditional R&D, thus saving our customers time and money.
In recent years, consumers are doing more research on FFBDS products and questioning efficacy. We believe GeneTune will address unmet needs in the industry and retail space. As a startup company, we are seeking partners to bring these formulations and personalized service to the market.
HEI: You can offer customized lab services?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: Our lab services include product validation, ingredient testing, and certification solutions. For a given single or multi-ingredient formulation, our product validation service can be used to identify new health and wellness indications, discover mechanisms of action of the formulation, support existing and new structure-function claims, design efficient clinical trials, source ingredients, compare different extraction methods, or provide a cost-effective method to design clinical trials to increase odds of success. Most importantly, our service helps differentiate products.
We validate the biological effect of single and multi-ingredient formulations using commercially available human cells. Using gene sequencing technology and our proprietary bioinformatics tools, we can identify different genes a given formulation can affect and thereby different human conditions a given formulation can affect.
For example, a customer might come to us looking to validate an ingredient with gut health benefits. Using appropriate human cells, we can test the effect of the ingredient on gut health related genes. Or another customer may want to know all the different benefits their formulation may have, and we can test the effect of that formulation in 20,000+ human genes.
Customers use our technology to help develop new products, discover new benefits for existing ingredients and products, determine the mechanism of action, and repurpose products for new health conditions.
Through funding by the National Science Foundation, we are developing an exciting new technology platform that can be used for testing and certifying the biological effect of ingredients for every batch in a cost- and time-effective manner. We are developing biological effect benchmarks for ingredients using bioinformatics and AI technology. Customer samples from every batch will be tested in our lab and compared to the benchmark. We then provide a report with a quality score comparing the sample to the benchmark and a list of top genes impacted by the ingredient. Plus, customers receive the Canomiks’ seal of approval: CanTRUST by Canomiks to use on packaging and marketing. Customers can use the information in the report on marketing materials, helping consumers make buying decisions.
HEI: Another service you provide is matching suppliers with consumer product companies. This is quite unique.
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: Companies that validate and test their products with us become part of our customer database. So yes, you could call our database a matchmaker for ingredient suppliers and CPG companies and manufacturers. For example, let’s say a company wants to find an ingredient to create a product that supports joint health. We can match them with a supplier whose botanical passed our biological testing.
HEI: You mentioned a testing kit mailer you are developing that may be the first of its kind.
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: As scientists, our co-founding team is always looking to develop science-based technologies that will make our products and services accessible to all stakeholders in the industry. Our vision is to develop a kit that can be used at the customer’s location for testing the biological effect of the ingredient, so the customer does not have to ship their sample to our location.
HEI: Your goal is to educate suppliers as well as consumers about what goes into product development?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: Like the “farm to table” movement in recent years, consumers are paying more attention to ingredient efficacy and safety in FFBDS products. In addition, retailers have shown interest in our services so they can provide safe and efficacious products to their customers.
Our goal is to educate the end consumer about the different ingredients, provide information around the effects of the ingredients and simplify any scientific information for an ingredient. A well-informed consumer is a happy consumer.
HEI: As a relatively new company, how do you find clients and how do they find you?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: We’re fortunate to be building a strong network in the FFBDS industry. As a startup company, we graciously welcome meetings and conversations with anyone in the FFBDS industry, or who’s interested in Canomiks. We present at industry trade shows, conferences, as well as scientific meetings. We are already becoming the go-to-science company in the industry. Moreover, we truly believe in our mission “Making food as medicine a reality” and have received supportive feedback from both consumers, customers, and retailers. It’s a very exciting time to be part of the FFBDS industry and we look forward to making a positive impact on the industry.
HEI: You have received numerous business honors. At the same time, as CEO, what keeps you up at night?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: While genomics, bioinformatics, and AI technologies are routinely used in drug development by the pharma-biotech companies, they are still new in the natural product industry. I sometimes wonder if it is still too early to use these technologies in the natural products industry. When you are trying to fundamentally change something, change is hard to come. But I have confidence that forward-thinking, science-focused, and consumer-centric companies in the nutraceuticals world will embrace our technology.
HEI: CBD is starting to go through rigorous testing. Is that an area your company is involved with?
Pradhan-Nabzdyk: In the beginning stages, we intended to focus on the CBD space. However, our strategy changed during the Covid pandemic when consumers were buying more dietary supplements. We see a benefit and need for testing products with popular ingredients like turmeric, elderberry, cranberry, and ashwagandha. However, we hope to test CBD in the future as well.
About the Author: Sheldon Baker is CEO of Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical brand marketing communications and public relations campaigns for well-known supplement and food industry companies. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or brand marketing consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
