Danone North America, headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., and Broomfield, Colo., said it is now accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Danone North America Gut Microbiome, Yogurt and Probiotics Fellowship Grant. In the program’s eighth year, the company will award two $25,000 grants to graduate students interested in exploring the gut microbiome, probiotics and yogurt to better understand how they help support and maintain human health and wellness.

Candidates are encouraged to submit an application for their investigation or study of the gut microbiome, probiotics and yogurt as related to human health and wellness, Danone North America said. The intent of the grant is not for disease treatment or clinical management.

Thus far, the Danone North America Gut Microbiome, Yogurt and Probiotics Fellowship Grant has provided support for wellness research on probiotic yogurt consumption during lactation, the use of foods as a delivery vector for beneficial bacteria, technology for studying the adaptation of fermentative microbes to milk, the effects of protein fermentation on the human microbiota and digestive health, and the relationship between probiotics, the gut microbiome and brain function.

Danone North America said it will be accepting applications from graduate students until Feb. 14, 2020. The winner will be notified on April 1, 2020. For additional information, qualification requirements and to complete the online application, visit http://www.danonenorthamerica.com/fellowship-application.