Innovations
OpenBiome's inaugural global health study, Transfer of Healthy Gut Flora for Restoration of Intestinal Microbiota Via Enema (THRIVE) evaluated whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can help treat children with pediatric Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) who have not responded to standard treatment alone.
Source: OB's Malnutrition webpage
What is a GMbC Starter Kit?
Each kit contains 48 anaerobic bacterial seeds stocks derived from stool samples donated by diverse, highly underrepresented communities around the world that reflect both rural and urban lifestyles and diets.
Source: OB website
What is our mission?
OpenBiome is a pioneering nonprofit that accelerates bold discoveries in microbiome science — ethically and equitably — to improve health for all.
What is C. diff?
Clostridioides difficile is a rod shaped bacteria that infects about 500,000 people in the United States each year, leading to 30,000 deaths. C. difficile is the most common hospital-acquired infection in the United States and is classified as an urgent antibiotic-resistant threat by the Centers for Disease and Health Control and Prevention.
C. difficile typically infects the large intestine where it produces toxins that kill cells and cause inflammation. Patients experience nausea, diarrhea, and chronic diarrhea. In severe cases, patients may experience watery diarrhea as often as 15 times a day and life-threatening weight loss.
What is the ratio of microbiota to human cells in our bodies?
1:1
Source: Nature article shared by Julie in general channel on Aug 2nd
Describe the Friendship Bench model developed by Prof Dixon Chibanda.
Training grandmothers in cognitive behavioral therapy to treat depression; delivered on a bench in Zimbabwe
Source: Ted Talk in General Slack Channel
What is the purpose SEAB [as it relates to the GMbC]?
Provides guidance on the program's scientific priorities and ethical commitments
Source: OB website
OB is solving critical gaps in microbiome science. What are 3 urgent problems we are working to solve?
1. Microbiome-associated disease is skyrocketing worldwide
2. Researchers have a biased and incomplete view of the human microbiome
3. We are losing microbiome diversity due to industrialization and climate change.
Source: OB website
What is the average number of FMT treatments we ship each day?
16
Source: June Plunge
How do squirrels get the energy they need when they hibernate for months in the winter?
Microbes
Source: Majdi’s book – Meena and the Microbiome
Numerous studies have shown that malnutrition is not due to food insecurity alone. What is the involvement of the microbiome in malnourished children?
The gut microbiome fails to develop properly during the first two years of life in malnourished children; gut microbiota is immature and is ultimately the cause of malnutrition.
Source: Nature podcast shared by Majdi in Random channel
Which 2 continents will NOT be represented in the GMbC collection by the end of this year?
Australia (or Australia & Oceania) and Antarctica
What are our 3 organizational goals for 2023?
Sustain FMT access, expand the core (or global impact), fuel the mission
OR
Catalyzing research, expanding global capacity, advancing therapies
About how many aliquots did we identify and separate for Finch?
9,000 (out of 92,000 total)
Source: Ken's Bristol 4 nomination
What are 4 sources of revenue for OpenBiome?
FMT Sales, Aliquots, Diversity Kits, Donations, Other Income (Grants, ERTC, etc)
Source: July Plunge Paul's presentation
What is the goal of our malnutrition program?
Deliver a new, scalable therapeutic intervention for reducing mortality and improving nutritional recovery
Source: July Plunge
What percent of human microbiome data and samples in the 3 largest repositories come from Northern America & Europe?
70%
Source: OB website
Name the 4 new Board members who joined this year.
Stephen Jones, Joanne Kamens, Ruchika Kumar, Garabet Yeretssian
What percentage of C.diff infections are resolved when treated with fecal transplants?
80-90%
Source: OB website
Describe a Bristol 6.
Fluffy pieces with ragged edges (a mushy stool)
Source: Bristol 4 Nomination Slide
What are 2 disease areas OB is currently collaborating with partners on outside of C. diff and malnutrition?
Mental health and IBD
What are the 4 core activities of the GMbC?
COLLECT: Sample a diverse range of microbiomes from around the world, prioritizing underrepresented communities.
BIOBANK: Characterize, culture, and conserve microbiome samples as well as bacterial isolates. Generate high quality sequencing data, and metadata.
SHARE: Provide researchers with access to samples, bacterial isolates, and data.
SUPPORT: Grow research capacity in low- and middle-income countries and benefit participating communities.
What are 4 out of 7 of our strategic objectives for this year?
SO1: Optimize product distribution and sales
SO2: Deliver high quality FMT products with operational excellence
SO3: Accelerate and scale the GMbC's impact
SO4: Launch the Global Microbiome Innovations Program
SO5: Secure philanthropic and earned revenue to fuel our mission
SO6: Increase OpenBiome's visibility, influence, and leadership position
SO7: Foster an inclusive, people-centered culture that attracts and retains top talent and great people
What are the 3 requirements patients must meet to receive an investigational FMT?
1. Have a confirmed diagnosis of recurrent C. difficile
2. Failed standard therapies
3. Provided informed consent including acknowledgment that investigational FMT is not an FDA-approved therapy.
Source: OB website FAQs
Name the 7 offices/rooms at 2067.
Duodenum, Jejunum, Ileum, Garage, Cecum, Fundus, Appendix