| Revision as of 01:50, 29 October 2016 editImperfectlyInformed (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Event coordinators, Extended confirmed users, IP block exemptions, Pending changes reviewers13,370 edits add wikilink to gut floraTag: Visual edit← Previous edit | Revision as of 02:02, 29 October 2016 edit undoJytdog (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers187,951 edits →Technology: spammy; please build the article from independent refsNext edit → | ||
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| Customers purchase kits to sample one or more parts of their body, including the gut, genitals, mouth, nose, or skin. After swabbing, a participant takes a survey which is used to make correlations with microbiome data. The participant sends his kit in the mail and receives data in a few weeks; he or she can compare their data with that of uBiome’s data set.<ref name=FastCo>{{cite news |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3039891/gut-check |last=Gertner |first=Jon |title=WHAT'S LURKING IN YOUR MICROBIOME? POSSIBLY, A CURE FOR DISEASE |publisher=Fast Company}}</ref> uBiome is certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) which regulates laboratory testing and acceptance of human samples for diagnostic testing.<ref name=Newsweek>{{cite news|last1=Khamsi|first1=Roxanne|title=Can Gut DNA Sequencing Actually Tell You Anything About Your Health?|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2014/07/25/can-gut-dna-sequencing-actually-tell-you-anything-about-your-health-259348.html|accessdate=21 March 2015|work=Newsweek|date=17 July 2014}}</ref> | Customers purchase kits to sample one or more parts of their body, including the gut, genitals, mouth, nose, or skin. After swabbing, a participant takes a survey which is used to make correlations with microbiome data. The participant sends his kit in the mail and receives data in a few weeks; he or she can compare their data with that of uBiome’s data set.<ref name=FastCo>{{cite news |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3039891/gut-check |last=Gertner |first=Jon |title=WHAT'S LURKING IN YOUR MICROBIOME? POSSIBLY, A CURE FOR DISEASE |publisher=Fast Company}}</ref> uBiome is certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) which regulates laboratory testing and acceptance of human samples for diagnostic testing.<ref name=Newsweek>{{cite news|last1=Khamsi|first1=Roxanne|title=Can Gut DNA Sequencing Actually Tell You Anything About Your Health?|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2014/07/25/can-gut-dna-sequencing-actually-tell-you-anything-about-your-health-259348.html|accessdate=21 March 2015|work=Newsweek|date=17 July 2014}}</ref> | ||
| == Technology == | |||
| The company uses ] sequencing available from ], which allows for categorizing bacteria at the genus level.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://shop.ubiome.com/pages/faq#sequencing|title=Sequence Your Microbiome - Gut Flora, Microbiota|website=shop.ubiome.com|access-date=2016-10-29}}</ref> | |||
| ==Controversy== | ==Controversy== | ||
Revision as of 02:02, 29 October 2016
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology |
| Founded | 2012 October |
| Founder | Zachary Apte, Jessica Richman |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Website | www |
uBiome is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco that gives individuals and organizations access to sequencing technology to sequence their microbiomes, particularly gut flora, with a sampling kit and website.
History
The company was founded by Jessica Richman and Zachary Apte. In November 2012, uBiome generated $350,000 through a crowdfunding campaign and as of 2015, uBiome had raised a total of more than $6 million but had failed to achieve profitability. According to FastCompany, uBiome's CEO has not set a goal for when the company will turn a profit. Originally based in the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, the company received money from Y Combinator and Andreesen Horowitz.
uBiome partners with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Mental Health for microbiome research. With the CDC, uBiome is using stool samples to research how treatments such as antibiotics alter gut microbes. The company also partners with Apple on the creation of an app to analyze gut bacteria. The app allows users to input information about health history, diet, and sleeping patterns and compare their microbiome with other users.
The company awards grants in the form of microbiome kits to researchers.
Products and services
Customers purchase kits to sample one or more parts of their body, including the gut, genitals, mouth, nose, or skin. After swabbing, a participant takes a survey which is used to make correlations with microbiome data. The participant sends his kit in the mail and receives data in a few weeks; he or she can compare their data with that of uBiome’s data set. uBiome is certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) which regulates laboratory testing and acceptance of human samples for diagnostic testing.
Controversy
Several business and science publications have expressed concerns over various aspects of UBiome's business model. The Wall Street Journal noted concerns that citizen science initiatives like uBiome may attract participants who do not understand the medical significance of their test results, since uBiome does not provide access to physicians or other experts who can explain how results uniquely affect an individual. A Scientific American blog criticized company founders Zachary Apte and Jessica Richman on the grounds that they "weren’t very upfront about how they address ethical issues since they were working with human subjects." In response to the controversy, Amy Dockser Marcus wrote an essay on the Wall Street Journal's website arguing that institutional review boards (IRBs) belonged to the “Old World of scientific inquiry and didn’t address the unique challenges of citizen science.” Responding to criticism in a post to a Scientific American blog, uBiome claimed it had received IRB approval from a private company, E&I Services.
References
- Stone, Judy. "uBiome: Ethical Lapse or Not?". Scientific American. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- Cutler, Kim-Mai. "Andreessen-Backed uBiome Is Now Doing An Indiegogo Campaign To Check Out Dental Bacteria". TechCrunch.
- ^ Gertner, Jon. "WHAT'S LURKING IN YOUR MICROBIOME? POSSIBLY, A CURE FOR DISEASE". Fast Company.
- Chokkattu, Julian. "uBiome Raises $4.5M From Angel Investors, Andreessen Horowitz To Crowdsource Microbiome Research". TechCrunch.
- Dillet, Romain. "Andreessen Horowitz Raises Massive New $1.5 Billion Fund". TechCrunch.
- ^ Zhang, Sarah. “Microbiome Startup uBiome Will Sequence Poop for the CDC.” Wired. Nov. 30, 2015
- Maldarelli, Claire. uBiome Teams up with Apple to Study Your Gut Popular Science. 10/7/15
- Arnold, Carrie.Could the Microbiome Cure Eating Disorders? The Daily Beast. 8/19/15
- Khamsi, Roxanne (17 July 2014). "Can Gut DNA Sequencing Actually Tell You Anything About Your Health?". Newsweek. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
- "The Ethics of Experimenting on Yourself". Wall Street Journal.
- "On Ethics and Self-Policing in (Citizen) Science". The Urban Scientist. Scientific American. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- Markus, Amy Dockser. "The Ethics of Experimenting on Yourself". Wall Street Journal.
- "Crowdfunding and IRBs: The Case of uBiome". Scientific American.