Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
About Novel Biome
About Novel Biome
The purpose of the Novel Biome donor program is to collect stool from healthy, well-screened people and create high-quality fecal microbiota transplantation products in our state-of-the-art microbiota lab. These products are used to treat patients struggling with serious medical challenges.
Our stool donor program is recruiting healthy individuals who meet our eligibility requirements which include persons who have regular bowel movements, are between 12-40 years old, are physically active, eat a balanced diet and have a clean medical history. Check your eligibility here
We respect our donor’s time. We compensate our donors for their time, with a monthly compensation range of up to $500 per month based on the number of donations.
Novel Biome is a Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) contract manufacturing company that specializes in creating high-quality FMT products using highly screened donors, state-of-the-art microbiota lab and stringent manufacturing standards, making us a leader in this industry. It is our mission to improve access to quality FMT products through physicians and medical centres looking to solve their patients' most challenging health challenges.
Becoming a Donor
Becoming a Donor
The first step to becoming a stool donor is to complete our eligibility quiz here. If you meet our eligibility requirements, you will be sent a more in-depth health questionnaire via email.
If you meet our initial donor screening a physical exam and lab work will follow before you’re invited to begin daily donations. It can take four to eight weeks after your sample donations to be invited to become a daily donor. Thank you for your patience!
At this time, we are only taking donors who live in the Fraser Vally region and can donate at least 3-5 days a week. We provide two options for our donors, they can attend our laboratory in Chilliwack, BC, or their donations can be picked up by our staff.
No, donating your stool is a clean and hassle-free process. We ensure that the collection and donation process is as hygienic and efficient as possible. Our trained staff will guide you through the entire process and answer any questions you may have. Donating your stool is a simple way to potentially help millions of people in need.
Why would someone want my stool?
Why would someone want my stool?
Your stool contains a complex community of microbes, which reflect your gut microbiome 5–9. These microbes are vital for our health; unfortunately, many people have dysfunctional guts, and their microbes aren’t doing the job they need to, leading to infections and chronic conditions 1,3-9. This is where you come in; with your healthy and diverse mix of microbes from your stool, you could help make a difference in the lives of millions of people suffering from a range of gut-related issues 9-10.
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is the infusion of specially prepared stool material from a well-screened, healthy donor(s) into the gut (intestinal tract) of a recipient to restore a healthy and stable microbial community and confer health benefits and/or treat a specific disease or symptom(s) 5,13,17,24. FMT helps re-educate the gut microbiome, inducing the re-colonization of the gut, restoring microbial diversity and resolving gut dysfunction 9,29–33. Currently, FMT is an approved treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rcDiff) in patients that are non-responsive to antibiotic therapy 11,12,14–16,18.
Microbiome-based therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, which help to restore lost or depleted microbiomes, are currently being used to help treat patients with Clostridioides difficile (cDiff) infections which can be life-threatening 5,11–18. With success rates for cDiff over 90%, clinical research into the use of these therapies is growing in conditions ranging from Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and metabolic disorders to Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis and Autism spectrum disorder 5,11,19–24.
Our gut microbiome is unique and shaped by genetics, diet, age, and medications 7,9,34–36. The gut microbiome, which includes the small and large intestines, comprises a complex community of microorganisms, including trillions of bacteria, quadrillions of viruses, fungi, parasites, and archaea, and is critical to our health and well-being 1,3–9.
Dysfunction of the gut microbiome (termed gut dysbiosis) can trigger infections and has been associated with the development of diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, neuropsychiatric-related diseases, metabolic conditions, cardiovascular diseases, immune-related diseases, and cancer 5,17,24,37–40.
Your healthy gut microbiome from your stool can help create microbiome-based treatments that could make a difference in the lives of millions of people who suffer from gut dysbiosis and the chronic conditions and infections related to it!
Take the Next Step
See if you are eligible to be a stool donor.
See if your stool can make a difference in the lives of millions of people!
References: 1. Choi, H. H. & Cho, Y.-S. 2016, 2. Hooper, L. V. et al. 2012, 3. Perez-Muñoz, M. E. et al. 2017, 4. Sommer, F. & Bäckhed, F. 2013, 5. Wilson, B. C. et al. 2019, 6. Bresalier, R. S. & Chapkin, R. S. 2020, 7. Chung, H.-J. et al. 2018, 8. Fan, Y. & Pedersen, O. 2021, 9. Kump, P. et al. 2018, 10. Gupta, S. et al. 2021, 11. Ser, H.-L. et al. 2021, 12. Xu, M.-Q. 2015, 13. Kelly, C. R. et al. 2016, 14. Khanna, S. et al. 2017, 15. Shankar, V. et al. 2014, 16. Song, Y. et al. 2013, 17. Staley, C. et al. 2016, 18. Allegretti, J. R. et al. 2019, 19. Cammarota, G. et al. 2015, 20. Kao, D. et al. 2017, 21. Lee, C. H. et al. 2016, 22. Lee, C. H. et al. 2019, 23. van Nood, E. et al. 2013, 24. Baunwall, S. M. D. et al. 2020, 25. Brandt, L. J. & Aroniadis, O. C. 2013, 26. Hui, W. et al. 2019, 27. Quraishi, M. N. et al. 2017, 28. Rinott, E. et al. 2021, 29. Hall, A. B. et al. 2017, 30. Odamaki, T. et al. 2016, 31. The Human Microbiome Project Consortium. 2012, 32. Johnson, D. et al. 2020, 33. Lee, L.-H. et al. 2019, 34. Lee, M. & Chang, E. B. 2021, 35. Ternes, D. et al. 2020.