Dr. Kassam will lead Seed Health's clinical
research and medical affairs, driving the
development and validation of the company's microbiome health
innovations and enhancing practitioner engagement
BOSTON, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Seed Health,
a microbiome science company, today announced the appointment of
Zain Kassam, M.D., M.P.H., as Chief Medical Officer. An
award-winning physician-scientist, Dr. Kassam has played a pivotal
role in the advancement of microbiome science for over a decade.
His extensive body of work includes over 200 peer-reviewed
publications and abstracts, including in The New England Journal
of Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, and
Gastroenterology, and co-authoring international clinical
practice guidelines. He has championed more than 30 Phase I-III
clinical trials with top-tier academic institutions across multiple
therapeutic areas. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kassam will
collaborate with Chief Scientific Officer, Dirk Gevers, Ph.D., to oversee Seed Health's
R&D portfolio. He will expand the company's gut microbiome
program and guide upcoming launches in the vaginal and skin
microbiome sectors, as well as in brain health, metabolic health,
and longevity.
"I am inspired by Seed Health's unwavering commitment to
scientific excellence for everyday health and its pioneering
platform for microbiome innovation," said Dr. Kassam. "The
convergence of Seed's comprehensive microbiome insights with robust
clinical validation offers a unique opportunity to advance the next
generation of microbiome interventions and make a true impact on
human lives."
Dr. Kassam will oversee Seed Health's clinical strategy, guiding
the trajectory from discovery through go-to-market. Collaborating
with Seed Health's scientific and clinical advisory boards, as well
as healthcare practitioners, he will ensure the company's
interventions meet the highest standards of clinical efficacy and
directly address both practitioner and patient needs. Furthermore,
Dr. Kassam will manage medical affairs, stewarding awareness of the
microbiome's impact on health and enhancing the understanding of
Seed's clinically validated products throughout the healthcare
ecosystem.
Before joining Seed Health, Dr. Kassam co-founded and was Chief
Medical Officer at two foundational microbiome therapeutics
companies, OpenBiome and Finch Therapeutics. At OpenBiome, he was
instrumental in creating the first public stool bank, setting a new
standard for safe fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and
pioneering clinical research in the microbiome. His tenure at Finch
Therapeutics was marked by remarkable growth, as he led two
landmark positive Phase II trials, and led the company through its
NASDAQ IPO. Dr. Kassam has served as a Scientific Advisory Board
member for the American Gastroenterological Association Center for
Gut Microbiome Research & Education, and Co-Chair of the Chief
Medical Officer 360o Summit, where he facilitated
knowledge translation to clinicians.
"Dr. Kassam's work seamlessly bridges the gap between clinical
practice and microbiome science, transforming scientific discovery
into real-world applications," said Raja
Dhir, Co-Founder of Seed Health. "With the leadership of Dr.
Kassam, we will significantly expand the impact of our work,
introducing innovations essential to the ecology of care and
redefining excellence in microbial innovation."
Dr. Kassam is the latest high-profile addition to Seed Health's
scientific leadership team, joining Chief Scientific Officer Dr.
Gevers, formerly of the Janssen Human Microbiome Institute. He will
also collaborate closely with esteemed partner scientists such as
immunologist Dr. Cezmi Akdis, pioneering vaginal microbiome
scientist Dr. Jacques Ravel,
computational biologist Dr. Eran
Segal, and microbiome researcher Dr. Sarkis Mazmanian, known for his work on the
gut-brain axis. This dynamic team reflects Seed Health's commitment
to stewarding microbiome applications for human and planetary
health.
"Dr. Kassam's expertise in microbiome science will be
instrumental in fully realizing the potential of our advanced
platform," said Dr. Gevers. "His distinguished track record in
clinical development and foundational research ensures that we can
transform cutting-edge microbiome insights into practical,
effective health solutions."
Dr. Kassam holds an M.P.H. from Harvard
University and has completed postdoctoral training at
MIT. He was awarded his M.D. from
Western University in London, Canada. Dr. Kassam completed his
Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology training at McMaster University. Dr. Kassam has received
numerous awards, including the 2020 Public Health Innovator Award
from Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Public Health, among the most prestigious awards for Alumni.
Media Contact
press@seedhealth.com
About Seed Health
Seed Health is a microbiome
science company pioneering innovations in probiotics and living
medicines to impact human and planetary health. Founded to realize
the potential of the microbiome, our platform enables the
translation of breakthrough science across a portfolio targeting
health outcomes from infancy to aging. Our consumer innovations are
commercialized under Seed®—an award-winning,
science-first brand known for clinically validated innovations in
probiotics. Our pipeline encompasses both indication-specific
and preventive applications for gastrointestinal and digestive
health, women's health, skin, pediatrics, mental health, metabolic
function, and nutrition. Our environmental research is conducted
under SeedLabs, which was founded to advance novel bacterial
interventions to enhance biodiversity and restore ecosystems
impacted by human activity.
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SOURCE Seed Health