Driving the future of personalised medicine at scale with Eagle Genomics and Microsoft

Eagle Genomics’ expertise in microbiome analytics combined with Microsoft Azure could collaboratively chart new territories that will revolutionise our understanding of microbiome-host interactions. This short blog, by Eagle Genomics’ Dr Christian Roghi captures the exciting potential opportunities for this collaboration to advance global health and wellness. 

Every human being is home to a diverse microbial community comprising bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms. While the gut remains the most extensively studied site, these microbes colonise everything from our skin and oral cavity to our respiratory and urogenital tracts. Recent estimates suggest that our body has almost equal number of microbial and human cells. 

Historically, microbes were often labelled adversaries, primarily associated with diseases and infections. This perception came from our early encounters with harmful pathogens that caused devastating outbreaks. However, as our scientific understanding has evolved, we have recognise that not all microbes are foes; in fact, many are indispensable allies. Today, thanks to advancements in sequencing technologies and enhanced analytical capabilities, we have started to value the indispensable role that such “friendly” microbes play in our health and well-being.  

The relationship between the host (us) and the microbiome (the collective term for these microorganisms) is not just coexistence. Our body is a large stage where host and microbial cells engage in a delicate and “dynamic ballet” that deeply influences our health and well-being. This host-microbiome interaction can best be described as mutualistic. In simple terms, this mutualistic relationship is a two-way street where both parties benefit. For instance, gut bacteria are pivotal in breaking down complex carbohydrates that human enzymes cannot process. As they metabolise these fibres, they produce short-chain fatty acids, compounds vital for human health, offering benefits like anti-inflammatory effects and maintaining gut integrity. Conversely, the human body provides these microorganisms with a stable environment rich in nutrients, allowing them to thrive. This collaborative relationship ensures that both the host and the microbiome benefit and flourish. 

The relationship between the host and microbiome extends beyond digestion; it plays a crucial role in our immune functions and may profoundly influence our mental well-being. Microbiome imbalances, termed 'dysbiosis', can lead to a domino effect of health issues. Several factors, such as antibiotics, diet, stress, and environmental toxins can disrupt the microbiome balance, and has been linked to autoimmune disorders, chronic inflammatory conditions, certain types of cancer as well as systemic conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes. Changes in our gut microbial composition have also been linked to conditions ranging from depression and anxiety to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.  

The future of medicine lies not just in understanding the human body but in appreciating and harnessing the power of the millions of microbes that co-habit it. Unlocking the mysteries of host-microbiome interactions will shape the medicine of tomorrow. Faecal microbiota transplants and live biotherapeutics products are emerging as potential treatments for various conditions rooted in microbial imbalances. 

 By joining forces, TechBio companies like Eagle Genomics, with their expertise in microbiome analytics, and Microsoft, with its computing power and cloud capabilities, can collaboratively chart new territories to revolutionise our understanding of these interactions. By analysing, processing, and collating vast amounts of omics data generated from the host and microbiome, scientists and clinicians will be able to gain an enriched perspective on the genetic, functional, and metabolic interplay between the host and its microbial residents. This comprehensive approach will not only elucidate the profound impact of the microbiome on host health but will also pave the way for innovative interventions in disease prevention and treatment. The dream of personalised medicine, tailored to an individual's unique microbial signature, is inching closer to reality. 

Eagle Genomics excels at transforming microbiome data into actionable insights. Our product, the e[datascientist], leverages Microsoft's Azure cloud platform to efficiently store, manage, and analyse vast volumes of data as well as providing seamless access for insightful analysis. A key challenge in understanding the host-microbiome interaction is the creation of predictive models that can anticipate how changes in the microbiome can affect the host. Using advanced AI and machine learning platforms, Eagle Genomics and Microsoft could lead on the development of highly accurate models. These models could predict disease onset or suggest interventions to restore a beneficial microbiome balance. The collaboration could give rise to personalised medicine solutions, tailored to an individual's unique microbiome. By integrating Eagle Genomics' insights on the microbiome with Microsoft's AI-driven patient data analysis, for example, it is conceivable that personalised treatment or prevention plans could include studying an individual's microbial signature for patient-specific insights. 

One advantage of Microsoft's global infrastructure is the ability to scale. As more researchers and institutions around the world contribute to and access the knowledge base on the host-microbiome interaction, cloud platforms like Azure can handle the increased load, ensuring seamless access to data and analytics tools.  

Beyond just research and therapeutics, the partnership can also be instrumental in increasing knowledge dissemination. Through webinars, online courses, and collaboration platforms hosted on Microsoft's suite of tools, knowledge about the host-microbiome interaction can be made accessible to researchers, clinicians, and even the public worldwide. 

In the delicate interplay between the host and its microbiome, the combined strengths of Eagle Genomics and Microsoft could lead the way in understanding, modelling, and proposing suitable interventions that could maintain wellness and help prevent or treat disease. By merging the microbiome expertise of the former with the computational scalability of the latter, this collaboration promises not only to advance our understanding of the host-microbiome dynamic but also to craft solutions that redefine health and wellness in our data driven 21st century.