Mass General Brigham's Dr. Leah Beauchamp Awarded Biocodex Microbiota Foundation's 2025 USA National Research Grant

BEDMINSTER, N.J., Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Biocodex Microbiota Foundation, an independent organization founded by Biocodex, has awarded its 2025 USA Microbiome Research Grant to Leah Beauchamp, PhD, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, for her innovative research exploring the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome and the brain in Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Beauchamp's pioneering research explores whether neuroinflammation—an early sign of Parkinson's—can alter gut microbiota in ways that speed up disease progression. Her research focuses on how certain harmful gut microbes may exacerbate brain inflammation, whereas others with beneficial properties could support brain health. Beauchamp's findings could help determine if gut dysbiosis is a cause or a consequence of the disease—and could lead to new treatment options for early intervention in Parkinson's.

There's growing evidence that the gut and brain are constantly communicating — and what's surprising is how small changes in the microbiome can dramatically affect brain inflammation, and possibly the other way around," said Dr. Beauchamp. "This grant enables me to explore that feedback loop in Parkinson's in new and innovative ways. If we understand how brain inflammation alters the microbiome, we might be able to intervene earlier and protect neurons before they are lost."

Each year, the $50,000 grant is awarded to early-career researchers in the U.S. who investigate how gut microbiota impacts human health. Now in its ninth year, the Foundation has given a total of $450,000 to support innovative microbiome research in areas like oncology, neurology, and metabolic diseases.

"We are proud to support Dr. Beauchamp's compelling work on the gut-brain connection in Parkinson's disease," said Marie-Emmanuelle LeGuern, Chairman of the Biocodex Microbiota Foundation. "Her research reflects the kind of forward-thinking science that advances our mission — to understand and leverage the microbiome's impact across all systems of human health."

The Biocodex Microbiota Foundation's annual grant supports its global dedication to advancing scientific understanding of microbiota's role in health and disease. This year's research applications were evaluated by a distinguished judging panel from the U.S. Biocodex Microbiota Foundation's scientific board, which includes Dr. Ruth Ann Luna from Texas Children's Hospital / Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Mindy Engevik from the Medical University of South Carolina, and Dr. Erica Sonnenburg from Stanford University.

2026 USA Call for Projects

Celebrating a decade of National Grant Awards, the Biocodex Microbiota Foundation will open its call for applications for the 2026 USA research grant in January 2026. The upcoming grant theme will continue to expand on the Foundation's focus: Harnessing the Gut Microbiome: Impacts on Health, Disease, Diagnosis and Therapeutics. The $50,000 award is reviewed by a panel of leading scientists and awarded to a U.S.-based researcher exploring microbiota's clinical or foundational impact. More information can be obtained at [email protected].

About the Biocodex Microbiota Foundation

About the Biocodex Microbiota Foundation
The Biocodex Microbiota Foundation's mission is to support research into microbiota and its interaction with various pathologies. Through its annual grant program, the Foundation supports foundational and applied research projects selected by independent scientists.

The Foundation also helps establish programs to improve understanding of microbiota and disseminates knowledge widely, benefiting both scientific communities and public health initiatives.

The Biocodex Microbiota Foundation is a non-profit, general-interest organization. For more information or questions about the USA Call for Projects, email:  [email protected]

SOURCE Biocodex Microbiota Foundation