Introduction

Communication between the digestive system and brain is much more intricate than previously thought.  The digestive epithelium is laced with sensors that monitor the contents of the gut, reporting back to the brain, stimulating appropriate hormones and digestive action to guide motility, chemistry, and absorption. This network is frequently referred to as the 'second brain' because of the dense neurophysiology at work. Recently it has been hypothesized that dysfunction in the gut-brain axis may be the basis for several immune and neurological disorders, suggesting that this neurological system may be an excellent drug target. Nancy Thornberry, CEO and Founder of Kallyope (Cal-EE-O-pay) describes the gut-brain axis, its role in digestive signaling, her company's novel drug discovery methods, and potential drug targets that may lead to innovative therapies for human health originating here in the second brain.