Dr. Iichiroh Ohhira’s BioBank: Pioneering Probiotic Research and Legacy

Dr. Iichiroh Ohhira has proven to be one of the world’s most influential researchers in the history of probiotic science, as his discoveries continue to be validated. He inherently understood restorative timelines while developing a three-year natural temperature fermentation method that produces potent strains of probiotics, along with therapeutic postbiotic metabolites, which have recently been shown to be the most beneficial aspect of probiotic supplementation.

Dr. Iichiroh Ohhira, a prominent Japanese scientist and microbiologist, established the Bio Activity Research & Development Center in Okayama, Japan, in 1974. This organization later became known as BioBank Co., Ltd. Dr. Ohhira was a distinguished professor and research scientist who has lectured at universities in Malaysia, Korea, and Japan, has authored or coauthored more than 20 scientific studies on lactic acid bacteria. He has conducted research studies at Kagawa Medical College in Japan and is a respected member of the Japanese Agricultural Chemistry Association and Japanese Microbiology Association. He was a distinguished member of the New York Academy of Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science and served as the technical advisor on agricultural and environmental issues to the government of Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Dr. Ohhira established BioBank because he was enthusiastic about researching lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and developing products based on them. His research resulted in a significant discovery: the Enterococcus faecalis TH-10 strain possesses a proteolytic power greater than that of other known LABs at that time.

This discovery laid the foundation for Dr. Ohhira’s award-winning probiotic formulations. Through BioBank, he continued his research and development of probiotic products, setting a new standard for probiotic supplementation worldwide. His work at BioBank earned him several prestigious awards, including the Presidential Citation from the Philippine Medical Association and the GUSI Peace Prize, often referred to as the Philippine version of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dr. Ohhira saw the realization of his vision and passion “wishing good health and long life to 7 billion in the world” through the expansion of his products in over 26 countries globally. He passed away peacefully in 2016.