Today we’d like to introduce you to Zack Abbott
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I attended UC Berkeley for undergrad, receiving a degree in molecular and cell biology, and classical art and archeology. I had a handful of jobs not related to the field of science during and after college as I searched for my passion. I worked as a bartender, played rugby, and spent my summers building houses for a nonprofit on Native American reservations across Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada.
In 2006, I found a job at an analytical chemistry lab in Berkeley, CA. This led me to work my way back to biology, joining a lab at UC Davis, studying treatments and vaccines for HIV, and then heading to the University of Michigan to get my PhD in Microbiology and Immunology.
During my PhD training, I learned about the incredible ability of bacteria to perform many useful functions and the complex mechanisms by which they turned those functions on and off. In the course of my research, I would frequently use genetic engineering to change what functions the bacteria performed and in what conditions they performed them. Even though it was not the direct purpose of my PhD research, it became clear to me that engineering bacteria presented a valuable potential opportunity for improving human health..
After my PhD I went to work at a contract research organization developing clinical trials for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that were developing therapeutic drugs. This was an amazing opportunity for me to get some experience with validating new products for human health.
Taking my idea of genetically engineering bacteria for human health one step further, I started exploring the concept of engineering safe, edible probiotic bacteria to perform additional clearly defined and specific biological functions that would be useful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and addressing common problems people face in their everyday lives. Thus, the idea for ZBiotics was born! I left my job at the contract research organization and started ZBiotics in 2016.
From 2016-2017, I spent practically every waking moment in the lab (and indeed even sleeping there on occasion!), running experiments to create our first product. Of all the early ideas I pitched, the one that seemed to excite people the most was to engineer a microbe to metabolize acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol, to help you feel better after drinking.
In April 2017, I created the genetically engineered probiotic that would be the key ingredient of our first product, our Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink. I then brought on my co-founder Stephen, and together we spent the next two years working hard to bring it to market. In August 2019, we launched our Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink. It was the world’s first genetically engineered probiotic of any kind to hit the market!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In the early stages of starting our business and developing our first product, I was frustrated by the conversations surrounding GMOs. Brands labeled products as “non-GMO,” even when genetic engineering wasn’t relevant to those products—such as table salt or bottled water, which don’t even contain any genetic material to modify. This led to confusion and misconceptions in the market.
The reality is that most people in this country aren’t particularly concerned about GMOs, but a small, vocal minority has spread misinformation and fear. Many brands have unfortunately latched onto this and fueled these fears, using them to sell products.
From the beginning, we’ve stayed committed to our core values of safety and transparency. We’ve strived to elevate the conversation around GMOs beyond simply “good” or “bad” to something more rational and nuanced. By labeling our bottles with “Proudly GMO” and highlighting genetic engineering as an essential part of our product that creates novel benefits that people want, we provide an alternative perspective. This transparency has contributed to our success, as shown by the more than 5 million bottles we’ve sold to-date. By showing the positive use cases of genetic engineering, we empower our customers to make informed decisions about GMOs, rather than feeding into fear and misconceptions.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about ZBiotics?
At ZBiotics we make genetically engineered probiotics to help people enhance their daily lives. Specifically, we are known for our flagship product, Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink, which targets acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol in your gut, to help you land on your feet the next day after drinking. We are extremely proud of the fact that we are a “Proudly GMO” company. This means that we ensure transparency about our use of genetic engineering with consumers, allowing for education about the responsible use of that technology to make all kinds of beneficial products for people in their daily lives and beyond. Though our flagship product is centered on helping with those rough mornings the day after drinking, we are actively working to expand our product line to provide consumers with other genetically engineered probiotics to support them in their daily lives.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
My co-founder Stephen and I handed out over 10,000 samples that I made by hand in our lab before we launched our first product. We had literally thousands of conversations with people about the product, and those conversations helped us shape our initial brand and how we explained the product and the science.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Zbiotics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zbiotics/
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
ZBiotics
