Dean Pomerleau Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 As of today (10/9/15), uBiome is offering a free microbiome test kit to the first 1000 users to download their new iPhone/iPad app, and agree to participate in a study to investigate the connection between the gut microbiome and weight loss. Below is the announcement and instructions. Its a great way to participate in a citizen science project on the important topic of gut health. Hurry while supplies last! --Dean SAN FRANCISCO, CA (PRWEB) OCTOBER 09, 2015 Leading microbial genomics startup uBiome today launched the first-ever microbiome app, in tandem with a study that aims to better understand the relationship between weight management and the microbiome. The study uses the ResearchKit framework, designed by Apple, to gather data more frequently and more accurately from participants using an iPhone app. The uBiome app is available as a free download from the App Store. The first 1,000 users to complete the app’s questionnaire and share a link to the app on social media will receive a free uBiome microbiome testing kit, usually priced at $89. After these free kits have been distributed, users of the app will qualify for a 50% discount. uBiome is the first biotech company to launch a microbiome-focused app on the ResearchKit framework, following in the footsteps of prestigious clinical trailblazers such as Mt. Sinai, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Sage Bionetworks, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Stanford Medicine. From asthma, breast cancer and Parkinson’s disease to diabetes and heart health, existing ResearchKit apps are contributing to scientific understanding of serious health conditions around the world. “Being able to see how research participants compare to each other is critical to a deeper understanding of human health and the role played by the microbiome,” says Jessica Richman, co-founder and CEO of uBiome. “Participants have already been incredibly eager to contribute to this exciting new branch of science, and we look forward to this opportunity for greater participation.” uBiome anticipates rapid adoption of its ResearchKit app. Stanford Medicine, one of the first users of the platform, recruited as many research participants in 24 hours as it usually would in a year, with more than 11,000 people signing up within one day. Nearly 75 percent of mobile subscribers in the United States own smartphones and Health & Fitness is the fastest growing app category. Dr. Zachary Apte, CTO and co-founder of uBiome, explains that processing microbiome data has only become possible because of the company’s powerful high-throughput DNA sequencing technology. “uBiome’s free iPhone app connects the phone in your pocket to our powerful technology in the lab, enabling users to directly contribute to enhancing human health through better understanding of the human microbiome.” The human microbiome contains around ten times as many cells as the entire body, and an individual’s bacteria is responsible for between three and six pounds of their weight. To place this in context, an average human brain weighs three pounds. The bacteria, which live in and on the body, play critical roles in human health. Although some kinds of bacteria can be responsible for a host of problems such as autoimmune disorders, diabetes, heart conditions, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and skin conditions, the right types of “friendly bacteria” assist us with digestion and the synthesis of vitamins among other important biological activities. To download the free uBiome ResearchKit iPhone app visit: https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/id998772157. About uBiome Technologists from UCSF, Stanford, and Cambridge launched uBiome in 2012 after a crowd-funding campaign raised over $350,000 from citizen scientists, roughly triple the initial goal. uBiome is now funded by Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator, and other leading investors. The company’s mission is to use big data to understand the human microbiome by giving consumers the power to learn about their bodies, perform experiments, and see how current research studies apply to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Pomerleau Posted October 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Update: It looks like the first 1000 kits are now taken, but you can still get the $89 kit for 1/2 off ($44.50) if you download the app, agree to participate in the study, fill out their survey and post about it on social media (Facebook or Twitter). --Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeta Posted February 11, 2016 Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 I'm not sure which of the uBiome threads this belongs in, but: Finally got my results! There's a lot to digest (ahem...), but one quick question: is there a way to share data via their website, as one can with 23andMe? I looked around but didn't see anything. One can of course download the raw data. But the 23andMe sharing interface is very handy. Wondering whether uBiome has something similar. Zeta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Pomerleau Posted February 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 Zeta, Glad your results finally arrived. I'm surprised it took as long as it did. I've never found a good way to share uBiome results. I've just done it by posting screen captures. I'm looking forward to seeing your results. So far I haven't found mine very useful, much less than 23andMe data. But hopefully that will change as researchers learn more about the microbiome. --Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Pomerleau Posted February 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 BTW Zeta, Here is the post with my results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordo Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Not sure this is worthy of a new thread, but just FYI uBiome is now offering free testing again, to any US citizen over age 18 WITH insurance if you agree to be included in their study. Not sure I totally get the process -- this requires physician approval, but they seem to have their own physicians doing the approvals (?) and they say they will bill your insurance company, but will NOT bill you at all for any underpayment or lack of payment from your insurance, so it really is free to the consumer. I signed up today. Based on Dean's past analysis and this one and other things I've read, I'm not too confident its useful, but curious about it anyway mostly because lately I've been having some GI issues and may have picked up something that will show up in their analysis. I was thinking the diversity metric might be useful but according to Dean's results, they can't even measure that accurately which makes me think nothing about this is very accurate. https://smartgut.ubiome.com/order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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