What is PROSPECT / What is the purpose of this research project?
PROSPECT (Pathways, Risk Factors, and Molecules to Prevent Early-Onset Colorectal Tumors) is an exciting, global research initiative that's focused on tackling the rise of early-onset colon cancer in people under 50.
ZOE is supporting the PROSPECT team which includes incredible scientists, including researchers at King’s College London (KCL) and the University of Trento, some of whom have roles at ZOE.
The PROSPECT team will run multiple studies, some of which our ZOE members will have the opportunity to participate in, to achieve three main goals:
What: Identify the underlying risk factors for early-onset colon cancer using huge datasets and new animal models.
How: Unpick the precise mechanisms that link these risk factors to the disease.
Prevention: Explore ways to limit these factors and reduce colon cancer risk.
This work will be supported by a £20 million award from Cancer Grand Challenges*, a “global research initiative that supports a community of diverse, global teams to come together, think differently, and take on some of cancer’s toughest challenges.”
For more information about PROSPECT, please visit the research study's website and keep an eye out for study invitations from our ZOE email!
What is ZOE’s involvement in PROSPECT?
At ZOE, we are passionate about improving the lives of millions and are proud to support our scientists who are leading studies within PROSPECT in their roles outside of ZOE. ZOE is not involved in running PROSPECT studies, but is supporting through study recruitment, as we explain below. Thanks to our ZOE members, we have an incredible database of gut microbiome and dietary information which could be valuable to PROSPECT’s research. We will reach out to you via email to invite you to participate in these studies and ask if you wish to contribute your ZOE data to this research initiative.
The first study you may receive an invite for is the PROSPECT-IMPACT survey which is led by Professor Nicola Segata from the University of Trento and aims to validate a novel microbiome-based screening tool for Colorectal Cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer. Nicola is also on ZOE's Scientific Advisory Board.
Please note that ZOE’s PROSPECT involvement is limited to sending out study invitations and contributing your relevant data from ZOE (including microbiome data) to the PROSPECT studies, which we will only do with your consent if you choose to participate. Participation is optional and will not impact your ZOE Membership or PREDICT 3 Study Status.
We anticipate more groundbreaking research opportunities in 2026 related to PROSPECT and we'll make sure our ZOE members are the first to know.
Why have I / haven't I been invited to participate?
At the moment, we are only sending out invitations to participate in PROSPECT-IMPACT which is being led by Nicola Segata of the University of Trento. Nicola is also on ZOE's Scientific Advisory Board. Members will receive an invite if they (1) are a PREDICT 3 study participant (2) have consented to their data being used for additional product research (when they first joined ZOE) and (3) have subscribed to either our science or marketing emails.
We will be spacing study invitations out over the months of November and December to ensure that the study team can properly support all of the participants.
We anticipate more groundbreaking research opportunities in 2026 related to PROSPECT and we'll make sure our ZOE members are the first to know.
Where can I find out more about colorectal cancer?
We are glad to hear that you are interested in finding out more about this important area of research!
You might want to start by checking out our ZOE Academy article on PROSPECT for a comprehensive overview of this groundbreaking research.
For an engaging discussion, listen to our ZOE podcast featuring Dr. Andy Chan, a specialist in gastrointestinal cancer and co-leader of the PROSPECT team. You can watch the complete episode here: Link to full episode.
If you're interested in preventive measures, the Center for Disease & Prevention offers valuable recommendations for reducing colorectal cancer risk. You can read more about it via this link: Link to website.
Remember, if you have specific health concerns, please consult with your healthcare provider. The ZOE program itself is not intended to diagnose, prevent or treat any disease or medical condition, and test results are for general wellness purposes only.