In this Scope Forward conversation, Praveen Suthrum speaks with Leo Grady, founder and CEO of Jona. Leo’s background sits at the intersection of healthcare AI and microbiome science — a rare combination that’s defining the future of gut health diagnostics.Their discussion explores why the microbiome is not a distant promise but clinically actionable today. They dig into why AI isn’t just a tool but a necessity to interpret the complex, rapidly expanding world of microbiome research. Leo breaks down how Jona’s platform creates a “digital twin” of the gut microbiome, simulating evidence-based interventions rather than offering general advice.Praveen and Leo also dive into why most existing microbiome companies miss the mark — often selling supplements rather than driving real clinical change — and how Jona was built to fill that gap with science at its core. The conversation closes with a look at why gastroenterology must — and is beginning to — take the lead in bringing microbiome research into everyday practice.Top Insights from the Conversation:

02:27 - The Microbiome Is Clinically Actionable — Today
Thousands of studies already link gut flora to chronic disease. Leo challenges the belief that it’s “too early” — arguing there’s sufficient evidence to act now, not a decade later.

03:57 - AI Is the Only Way to Navigate the Complexity
With 2,000+ new studies published monthly, no human can keep pace. Jona’s custom AI filters and interprets this tidal wave of research, making personal, evidence-based recommendations possible.

05:03 - Jona Builds a Digital Twin of the Gut
Jona sequences an individual’s microbiome and models how interventions — diet, supplements, medications — would alter it, based on interventional studies. It’s a simulation grounded in real, published science.

10:23 - Most Microbiome Startups Fall Short
Many existing companies sell the promise of gut health, but without scientific rigor. Jona was founded because Leo saw an opportunity to ground microbiome testing in solid evidence, especially for serious GI conditions.

15:45 - Business Model: AI-Powered Microbiome Insights

Jona sells precision gut tests, using AI to match microbiome data with clinical research—delivering evidence-based insights, not supplements.

22:19- Clinical Use of Microbiome Testing Must Be Evidence-Based

Jona’s recommendations — whether to change diet or introduce a probiotic — are directly tied to published research, with confidence scores that help clinicians weigh the strength of evidence.

26:43 - Jona’s AI as a Domain-Specific Language Model

Jona’s AI acts like a specialized LLM trained on microbiome literature—matching patient data to published studies and simulating outcomes. It doesn’t just read research; it reasons with it.

37:05- Gastroenterology Must Lead the Way — and It Is
While the microbiome has often been developed outside of GI, Praveen and Leo highlight how the field is shifting. GI physicians, with leaders like Dr. Lawrence Kosinski, are increasingly stepping up to shape the future of microbiome diagnostics and therapeutics.

#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift #microbiome