216/25 Book Review: Next Generation Probiotics: From Novel Drugs to Future Therapeutics

Thank you very much, Dr. Shakira Ghazanfar, for sharing book info on LinkedIn

Editors: Shakira Ghazanfar, Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji, Alessandro Di Cerbo, Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Wajya Ajmal, Muhammad Naeem Riaz 
 

Publisher / Imprint: CRC Press (Taylor & Francis) 
Taylor & Francis

First Published (e-book): 30 September 2025 
Taylor & Francis

Pages: 296 
Taylor & Francis

Overview & Scope

In Next Generation Probiotics, the editors assemble a forward-looking compendium that bridges microbiology, biotechnology, clinical research, and therapeutic application. The central ambition is bold: to push probiotics beyond their conventional roles (e.g., digestive health, dairy formulations) and toward a future in which they act as finely tuned, next-generation biotherapeutics. The book is organized into 19 chapters, covering topics as diverse as chemical characterization of probiotic-derived compounds, probiotics in mental health (psychobiotics), machine learning in probiotic development, comparative bacteriotherapy in human and animal health, and the commercialization and socioeconomic dimensions of probiotic technologies. 

Strengths & Highlights

Breadth without superficiality
Next Generation Probiotics largely avoids this traditional style: each contribution is substantive, complete with mechanistic detail, references to cutting-edge studies, and carefully framed discussions of limitations and future directions.

Integration of “omics,” AI, and probiotic design
Chapter 12 on “Recent Advances in the Application of Machine Learning in Development of Probiotics” stands out, illuminating how computational tools and high-throughput sequencing can accelerate discovery and strain selection. This integration underscores the book’s timeliness. 

Interdisciplinary relevance
Whether you’re a microbiologist, a clinician interested in the gut-brain axis, or a translational researcher in drug development, this volume offers meaningful insights. The chapters on psychobiotics (Chapter 15) and gastrointestinal tract / gastric cancer applications (Chapter 11) provide strong evidence of its cross-domain ambition. 

Balancing theory and application
The editors have skillfully balanced the book's content: the more theoretical chapters (e.g., probiotic mechanisms, isolation techniques) are complemented by those focusing on practical aspects such as industrialization, regulatory challenges, consumer perspectives, and commercialization (e.g., Chapter 3 on market share, Chapter 17 on translational research). This balance ensures that readers understand probiotics comprehensively, from their fundamental principles to their real-world applications. 

Forward-thinking yet grounded
The authors rarely overpromise. Many chapters candidly discuss obstacles, strain safety, host specificity, regulatory hurdles, interindividual microbiome variability, scalability, and cost. Yet the tone remains optimistic, pushing readers to envision what’s next while acknowledging the work ahead.

Significance and Timeliness of the Book

Next Generation Probiotics arrives at a moment when microbiome science is maturing from descriptive studies into intervention science. This volume stakes a claim that the next frontier of probiotic research will not be incremental (e.g., discovering new Lactobacillus strains), but transformative engineering microbial therapeutics, tailoring probiotics to individual microbiomes, integrating AI and high-throughput data, and translating findings into viable therapeutics and products.

By offering a panoramic yet substantive view of this evolving landscape, the book is a reference for researchers and practitioners aiming to mainstream probiotics in medical and biotechnological use. It is particularly timely given the rise of precision medicine, increased interest in microbiome-based therapies, and the growing intersection of computational biology and microbial therapeutics.

Recommendation & Audience

According to the Editor in Chief of the HunarNama, this is not a casual read. The ideal audience includes:

• Microbiologists, molecular biologists, and microbial ecologists
• Translational/clinical researchers exploring microbiome interventions
• Biotechnologists and bioengineers working on microbial therapeutics
• Graduate students and postdocs in related fields
• Policy makers or industry researchers interested in probiotic commercialization.

For those intrigued by microbe-based medicine, this book is a must-read and a reference for the future of probiotics.