Meet the Expert
Zac Lewis, PhD
Principal Consultant
I first started with microbiology as a high school student engineering E. coli to glow in the dark. I haven’t looked back since! I went on to earn a PhD in microbiology from the University of California, Davis in 2015. As a PhD student and postdoc, I studied species of bacteria commonly used as probiotics and their effects on infants. I also studied how prebiotics found in breast milk influence the human gut microbiome.
My introduction to the nutraceutical space began in 2008 while working R&D and quality control for a company interested in the benefits of the Morinda citrifolia plant. I later worked at a Fortune 500 consumer packaged goods company for a major probiotics brand as a product developer and in-house subject matter expert. I also was Chief Science Officer for a probiotic ingredient start-up launched from the food science department of a major US university.
After gaining a wealth of experience across the value chain for probiotics and prebiotics and becoming well-connected in the space, I started Lewpine Consulting to help solve the technology-to-product gap for companies looking to productize probiotics, as well as solve technical problems for my client base.
Skill Set
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With over 15 years of experience in the scientific fields of probiotics, prebiotics, and the human microbiome, I can advise on many technical and scientific questions, including:
Mechanisms of action
Clinical trials
New technology evaluations
Claims substantiation
Patent writing and assessment
Various microbiological assays
I can also help formulate products, spec out packaging and release testing for them, and recommend service providers to help assemble and launch new products.
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Having worked for companies ranging from Fortune 500 multinationals, to mid-size established brands, to small start-ups, I understand the concerns of companies in different places in the commercial lifecycle.
I’ve consulted with companies in every step in the supply chain from academics just starting to think about commercializing their research, to ingredients suppliers/developers, to consumer-facing brands. I understand product development and how to bring ideas to market quickly and efficiently.
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Having launched new probiotic strains as new ingredients as well as formulated and commercialized consumer packaged goods sold at major retailers in the US, I’m familiar with the technical boxes that need to be checked to stay on the right side of the law and know how to leverage my scientific expertise to help minimize various legal risks.
While I am not an attorney and do not give legal advice or counsel, I am familiar with how the technical aspects of product design play into the regulations and potential competitor or consumer challenges.