Expert profile
Dr. Nicola Segata
Computational microbiology researcher, co-author of Zoe's Nature microbiome study
Computational microbiology • microbiome metagenomics • host-microbiome interactions
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About the expert
Focus: Microbiome metagenomics and personalized health
Computational microbiologist focused on identifying which gut bacteria associate with health outcomes across large populations. Emphasizes data-driven personalization over generic dietary rules. Draws from large-scale metagenomic sequencing and observational cohort data.
Expert discussions with Dr. Nicola Segata
Groundbreaking research reveals the 50 NEW gut bacteria you need to reshape body fat
ZOE co-founder Jonathan Wolf interviews microbiome scientist Nicola Segata (University of Trento) and nutrition scientist Sarah Berry (King's College London, ZOE chief scientist) about a 2024 Nature paper that used metagenomic sequencing on tens of thousands of stool samples to rank the top 50 bacteria associated with positive health markers and the bottom 50 associated with negative markers. They discuss 'dark matter' species visible in DNA but never cultured in labs, the speed at which diet can shift the microbiome, the role of plant diversity (the 30-plants-per-week framing), and individual differences in metabolism of compounds like soy isoflavones. ZOE has a direct commercial interest in the consumer-facing microbiome test and meal-score product, which is built on top of this research.