Jan Knol

Senior Director Research & Innovation

Danone Fellow Microbiology, Gut Health & Biotics

Jan Knol is a scientific leader in Danone’s Medical & Nutritional Science department. He specializes in gut health and microbiology, driving cutting-edge research and translating it into real-world nutritional solutions that improve health and well-being.

Jan, you're a microbiome specialist at Danone. Can you tell us what you love most about your job, and what you think makes it so important?

My role is quite unique in that it bridges fundamental life sciences with innovation.

It is this dual perspective that I enjoy the most: I get to explore how life and nutrition interact at a very deep level, while also contributing to tangible health solutions that benefit consumers and patients across the world. That’s incredibly rewarding.

Can you share an example of how your work has positively impacted consumers or the community?

One of the most impactful areas has been infant nutrition. I was fortunate to be involved early on in the development of prebiotics and probiotics for infant formula,  long before it became a widespread focus. "These ingredients are formulated to support the development of a healthy gut microbiome in breast-fed infants through prebiotics. Specifically, for C-section born infants who do not receive beneficial bacteria from the mother, we offer a unique synbiotic (a combination of prebiotics and probiotics) that restores the levels of beneficial bacteria."

We now have products that are clinically proven to support more natural microbiome development. And when I travel and see those products on the shelves, knowing the science behind them and the health benefits they bring, it’s incredibly gratifying.

After all these years of experience, what still surprises you about this field?

There are so many new technologies emerging that allow us to study the microbiome in ever-greater detail. Almost every week, a new study is published linking gut microbiota to a disease, a symptom, or a health marker.

We now understand that gut health is central, it affects not only digestion but also our metabolism, immune system, and even brain function through the gut-brain axis.

What surprises me is the scale of influence that microbes have. They don't just digest our food, they actively shape our health. And the fact that we can influence them through nutrition opens huge potential for targeted health interventions.

99%

of our genes are carried by the microbes

100

trillions of bacteria in 1000s of species

Is there any recent scientific discovery or trend linked to the microbiome that excites you the most?

Yes, one project I’m especially excited about is the OneBiome initiative. It brings together all of Danone’s knowledge and data on the microbiome, from internal studies to publicly available research, and integrates it to help us better understand and personalize nutrition.

We’re exploring how this could be used to assess disease risks, validate product benefits, and even offer microbiome-based services to healthcare professionals and consumers.

We’re also setting up a state-of-the-art lab in Saclay to demonstrate our work. It’s a big opportunity not just for science, but for public awareness. Microbiome is like a personal fingerprint, and people are increasingly curious about it. This initiative could be transformative.

You are with Danone for 28 years now. What advice would you give to young researchers aspiring to enter the gut health field?

Stay curious, that’s the number one thing. Let your curiosity lead you, even if the questions you’re asking aren’t yet mainstream. In science, progress often comes from people who are willing to explore the unknown.

Also, do what truly motivates you. Don’t build your career around what others expect, build it around what excites you. Convince people with evidence, not with noise. That authenticity and inner drive are what sustain you in the long run, especially in fields that are constantly evolving.

That opportunity to combine research with direct impact, to innovate with purpose, is what drew me to Danone R&I and continues to inspire me today.

Jan Knol

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