DR. SABINE HAZAN WINS OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION AWARD FOR GROUNDBREAKING AUTISM AND MICROBIOME RESEARCH

VENTURA, Calif., Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Sabine Hazan, gastroenterologist, physician-scientist at ProgenaBiome, and author of Let's Talk Sh!t, has been honored with the Outstanding Presentation Award at the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Conference for her pioneering research on autism and the gut microbiome.

Her abstract, A Potential Microbiome Signature Showcasing Improvement of Autism in Two Identical Twins, was lauded by the judge as a "beautiful demonstration of proof of concept." The study documented remarkable speech recovery in two non-verbal identical twins following a nine-month, microbiome-targeted intervention focused on restoring Bifidobacteria.

Study Details: 
Participants: Two identical twins diagnosed with severe autism spectrum disorder, both non-verbal at baseline.

Intervention: Microbiome-targeted therapy over nine months.

Methodology: Fecal samples were collected at baseline, month 1, and month 9. DNA was extracted, quantified, and sequenced using ProgenaBiome's cutting-edge assay to determine microbial composition and relative abundance.

Findings:
Baseline: Both twins had extremely low levels of beneficial Bifidobacteria (<0.05) and elevated levels of potentially harmful bacterial phyla.

Month 1: Modest increase in Bifidobacteria abundance.

Month 9: Both twins achieved full correction of gut dysbiosis and regained verbal communication

This award builds on Dr. Hazan's prior recognition three years ago, when she received an award for research demonstrating that mRNA vaccines reduce Bifidobacteria levels, later connecting these findings to loss of Bifidobacteria in individuals with autism. Her latest research shows that restoring Bifidobacteria in two identical children resulted in them becoming verbal, a finding shared with 18,000 gastroenterologists at the ACG Conference.

"The microbiome tells the story," said Dr. Hazan. "We are now seeing compelling evidence that correcting gut dysbiosis can impact not only gastrointestinal health but also core behavioral outcomes in autism."

Dr. Hazan credited her team at ProgenaBiome Labs for their vital contributions, "Thank you to my team at ProgenaBiome Labs. This award is a testament to their dedication and expertise."

Her research underscores the potential of microbiome-focused therapies to improve both digestive and neurological outcomes in autism, opening a promising new frontier in understanding the gut-brain connection. To advance this groundbreaking work, Dr. Hazan is calling for support of the Microbiome Research Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to pioneering microbiome-based interventions. The foundation urgently needs to raise millions to fund an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for familial fecal microbiota transplant (FMT), a precision medicine approach tailored to individual genetic and familial microbiomes, rather than a traditional pharmaceutical product. This IND will enable rigorous clinical trials to validate and expand these therapies, potentially transforming outcomes for families affected by autism and related conditions. Donations and partnerships are essential to accelerate this vital research. Visit microbiomeresearchfoundation.org to learn more and contribute.

Read more about ProgenaBiome's research, mission, and register for the newsletter through their webpage, progenabiome.com. For more timely information, follow Dr. Hazan on X  @SabinehazanMD and Instagram @dr.sabinehazan. 

For more, visit: 
https://progenabiome.com  
https://clinicaltrials.gov  
https://microbiomeresearchfoundation.org/ 
https://letstalkshit.org/  

SOURCE ProgenaBiome