Dr. Julia V. Perederiy, Neuroscientist and Founder of OmBiome
Dr. Julia V. Perederiy, PhD is a neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and translational researcher focused on understanding how complex biological systems develop, adapt, repair, and regenerate – and incorporating those principles into practical approaches to human health. Over nearly two decades, her work has spanned neuroscience, regenerative biology, therapeutics, and medical foods, exploring drivers of health and disease especially in complex conditions like neurodegeneration and autism. Alongside laboratory science, she developed expertise in business analysis and commercialization, now working at the intersection of scientific discovery, product development, and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Julia is the founder of OmBiome, a California Benefit corporation developing algae botanicals for oral and gut health. Beginning with the mouth as an accessible microbial ecosystem, she translated principles of microbial ecology and sustained ecological resilience into an oral care platform built around nutrient-rich functional ingredients, including whole spirulina, prebiotic fibers, and essential minerals. OmBiome now combines commercial product development with research investigating algae-derived bioactives, epithelial repair, and oral/gut microbial ecosystems.
Beyond her research and entrepreneurial work, Dr. Julia is committed to scientific education and mentorship. At UCLA, she founded and leads a biotech entrepreneurship club helping PhD students and postdoctoral scientists to explore academia-industry collaborations and to build satisfying career paths applying their knowledge to solve real-world problems. She also guest lectures and mentors at Los Angeles Pierce College and participates in career-development initiatives with Biocom California.
Tell us about your background and the launch of OmBiome.
I’m a PhD neuroscientist and regenerative biologist by training so I see the human body as a dynamic ecosystem, with a billion tiny microenvironments developing, adapting, failing, recovering. For most of my career, I’ve been interested in the multidimensional forces that drive these complex dynamics – inflammation, microbial diversity, nutrient sufficiency, and so many more. These forces underlie everything from brain plasticity to the oral/gut microbiome, as well as our innate ability for tissue repair.
OmBiome grew out of that way of thinking, drawing on examples from nature and ancient microorganisms that have sustained ecosystems on our planet since the beginning of time. Spirulina – a type of freshwater blue-green microalgae – is one of those microorganisms, which is why I used it to make a minimalist tooth powder when I couldn’t find adequate oral care. Just two ingredients, but the results surprised me.
OmBiome officially began when I gave some of the tooth powder to my 93-year-old grandmother when she mentioned her ongoing struggles with oral health. The dramatic changes she experienced inspired me to understand what was happening scientifically and to create a platform to help others in the same situation. Mission-driven from the start and still informing OmBiome’s product development and research programs today – 7 years later.
Sometimes that mission is the only thing that keeps me going, especially when it feels like an impossible hill to climb with traditional oral care continuing to dominate. Turns out, it takes significant effort to challenge deeply ingrained habits and favorite flavor profiles! But I still believe we need to rethink some of our daily hygiene routines – and be willing to experiment with viable, earthy green alternatives.
How did you go from neuroscience to oral health? What connects these fields for you?
At first glance, they can look like very different worlds. But I see them as different windows into the same problem: how does a complex living system maintain itself?
I started my science career in developmental neuroscience, then studied adult neurogenesis and post-injury brain repair for my graduate work. I was fascinated with the stem cell niche and the multitude of signals that dictate both neural fate and the return to balance after a disruption. Immune cells play a huge role, which made me think more broadly about the microenvironment, inflammation, and the influence of the cellular network as a whole.
After graduate school, I found my first connection between brain health and nutrition, when I worked with mushroom-based medical foods and generated positive preclinical data supporting therapeutic efficacy of ingested functional mushrooms in Parkinson’s disease. This was around the time the gut-brain axis research was just beginning to emerge, so it made sense to look into mucosal biology and repair.
Algae aren’t a far leap from mushrooms and the mouth isn’t a far leap from the gut. But really, it’s the systems-level regenerative biology and principles of ecological renewal that still captures my interest. Reductionist science is incredibly powerful – we need it to understand cellular mechanisms of action. But then we have to put the pieces back together
What are the healing superpowers of micro*algae?
As a scientist, I have to smile at the word “superpowers”… but algae really are extraordinary organisms. They’ve been around for billions of years, surviving drastic environmental changes and perfecting the ongoing cycle of die-off and recovery. Through photosynthesis, algae produce oxygen, while generating an incredible diversity of proteins, pigments, polysaccharides, lipids, and other biologically active compounds. Algae form the foundation of many aquatic food webs and have profoundly shaped Earth’s atmosphere and ecosystems.
Spirulina is just one of 100,000+ known species of algae, but it’s one of the most studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory properties. Spirulina is considered a superfood in modern nutrition and is widely used as a dietary supplement, but more research is needed to validate its therapeutic effects. I am especially fascinated with finding ways to test multi-functional botanicals on a broader scale than a particular “active ingredient” and studying therapeutic interactions and synergy on multiple levels of a complex biochemical environment simultaneously.
In OmBiome’s preliminary research, spirulina-derived preparations accelerated epithelial wound healing by about 30% in vitro and subsequent fractionation studies showed a few molecular candidates that may be involved in that process. It’s not proof of therapeutic value by any means, but it does give us a biological signal worth investigating, especially in the context of the microbiome and ongoing inflammation.
For me, that is where the real “superpower” lies: ancient photosynthetic microorganisms have had billions of years to evolve sophisticated chemistry. I’m curious to see how much of that biological wisdom we can scientifically uncover and put to use
Share your products.
OmBiome started with a minimalist tooth powder based on whole dried spirulina and mineral clay. It’s still my go-to recommendation for people who want something simple and effective. https://ombiome.com/products/ombi-spirulina-tooth-powder
OmBites are spirulina chewables that were created for those who want something more portable and versatile. They contain the original base formula, plus prebiotic fibers, minerals, 10% hydroxyapatite, birch tree xylitol, and subtle sweet orange flavor. OmBites can be used as a toothpaste tablet or as an on-the-go breath freshener that absorbs odors and neutralizes acidity. The chewable tablet format also makes oral care much more convenient after coffee, flavorful meals, while traveling, or whenever a toothbrush or running water aren’t accessible. https://ombiome.com/products/ombites-spirulina-chewables_everyday-pack_124ct
Why is OmBiome different?
OmBiome thinks differently about the mouth. Instead of aggressively eliminating microbes and masking smells, we nurture the ecosystem and explore ways to recreate conditions that support its resilience.
OmBiome’s most important differentiator is that we use the whole algae, not an extract or isolate – all oral care products are at least 30% Hawaiian spirulina, which means its naturally occurring proteins, pigments, polysaccharides, minerals, lipids, and other constituents remain in our formulas. Part of our research is asking what biological value might exist in that complexity.
How does OmBiome challenge the status quo?
A healthy mouth contains microbes. Plaque itself is a biofilm, and biofilms aren’t inherently pathological. The important questions are which organisms are present, how they interact, what environmental conditions favor them, and how the host tissue responds.
The mouth is also the first stage of digestion and a highly absorptive mucosal environment. Ingredients in oral care products come into contact with epithelial tissues, saliva, microbes, and, when swallowed, the gastrointestinal tract. That makes me think twice about the products we put into our mouth every day.
That philosophy influences our formulations, which draw inspiration from ecology, where nutrients, microorganisms, and environmental conditions influence recovery after disruption. We’re asking whether some of those same regenerative principles apply to the oral microenvironment – eliminating organisms is only one way to influence an ecosystem.
OmBiome challenges the idea that oral health is a battle between us and our microbes. We propose that oral care should be gut-friendly, support a balanced microbial community, and enable tissue resiliency – which is a much more interesting scientific problem than simply trying to make the mouth as sterile as possible.
Do you plan on any new products?
Absolutely! We’ll continue growing our oral care platform with new formulas and formats, as well as practical accessories (e.g. bamboo toothbrush, travel kits), but this is only the beginning. In theory, algae can support all the tiny cellular ecosystems in the human body, which are remarkably similar in their structure and reparative function.
Longer term, I’m very interested in expanding OmBiome’s ecosystem approach and algae formulations into the gastrointestinal tract, especially with regard to anorectal and colon health. The two ends of the digestive system have a lot in common, but we tend to overlook toxic ingredients in over-the-counter enemas and suppositories when symptoms arise. Algae may prove to be a better source of soothing formulations.
Ultimately, I see OmBiome growing beyond individual products into a platform for investigating how algae and other ancient biological systems can contribute to regenerative health.
What is dr-julia.org, and what do you hope to explore through this platform?
dr-julia.org is an online information hub, where I discuss big interdisciplinary questions that don’t necessarily fit inside one company, laboratory, or scientific discipline. My goal is to make advanced biology accessible without oversimplifying it – assembling pieces of knowledge into a framework that informs how we view complex living ecosystems like our bodies and how we develop medicines to help them thrive.
This platform is a space for curiosity, scientific rigor, and broad-spectrum thinking with an intentionally integrated view of sustained human health. Topics of discussion include principles of regenerative biology, microbial ecology, the oral-gut-brain axis, and the symbiotic relationship we have with ancient microorganisms like algae and fungi.
