The Human Diets & Microbiome Initiative (THDMI) is an unprecedented international research study engaging citizen scientists to revolutionize the exploration of the gut microbiome and unveil the secrets of the gut.
THDMI has been conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain and has just finished its fifth and last campaign in Japan!
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The Gut Revolution
The gut is an essential piece of a healthy body, supporting digestive function, the immune system, and brain health. Trillions of microorganisms live in the gut and are collectively named the gut microbiome, which we have affectionately called “Gutty”!
Everyone has a unique gut microbiome, like a fingerprint!
What you eat impacts your Gutty; therefore, it needs to be nourished daily through your diet, just like you. However, it’s hard to know the best thing for your Gutty, and because everyone is different, researchers need to revolutionize research worldwide to discover more!
Sponsored by Danone Nutricia Research, THDMI is an ambitious study that aims to conduct research on 3 continents: North America, Europe, and Asia, and which is based on citizen science.
Citizen Science is the scientific work involving participation or contribution by members of the general public; for example, birdwatchers reporting their sightings to researchers. It is generally open to everyone, anywhere in the world, regardless of qualifications, and can significantly benefit scientific discoveries.
Click here to see our latest results infographic explaining what we have already discovered. Researchers will then use the latest sequencing technology to gain insight into how diets across the globe affect each unique Gutty.
To accomplish this important task, scientists from Danone Nutricia Research have teamed up with the Center for Microbiome Innovation and the long running citizen science microbiome project The Microsetta Initiative, led by the prestigious Dr. Rob Knight at the University of California San Diego.
In Japan, we are collaborating with associate professor Takuji Yamada of Tokyo Institute of Technology to conduct THDMI.
In Spain, we are thankful to our local collaborators The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) for their support.
In Mexico, our campaign was supported by the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ).
But our team is not complete until YOU join to contribute to this international effort!
By signing up for THDMI’S research study, you have an opportunity to become a citizen scientist and contribute to cutting-edge discoveries by providing critical data.
Registrations for this study are now closed.
How does it work?
Who can participate?
Participation is for adults aged 18 and over, living in Japan, at the exception of individuals living in Okinawa prefecture (due to shipping difficulties).
Only the 800 first people who sign-up can be selected to receive a microbiome kit.
Finally, the 500 first participants (maximum) who complete all the study steps described below will
- get their microbiome sequenced for free
- receive a personalized diet report (for free)
- receive a personalized microbiome report accessible through their online account (for free)
Note that receiving all the reports can take several months.
Key steps and dates for participants
- Register by following the sign-up link found on this webpage. Registration involves providing contact information including email address and mailing address. Please note that registrations are now closed.
- Selected participants will receive
- An email notification with instructions on how to create an online account
- A free microbiome kit in the mail containing instructions on how to collect and ship back a stool sample for free
- Through the online account,
- Create a profile and give consent
- Fill out your profile by answering the survey questions
- Register your kit
- Complete the Food Frequency Questionnaire that came with your kit.
- Collect a fecal sample using the materials and following the instructions provided in the kit.
- Through the online account, log the date/time of sample collection and the sample type as ‘stool’.
- Return the sample and Food Frequency Questionnaire by shipping using the materials provided and following the instructions provided in the kit.
What will happen to the fecal sample?
DNA and RNA will be extracted from the sample and then sequenced to see what microorganisms are present and in what proportions. We may also use the remaining sample to look more carefully at specific microorganisms present, or to investigate other chemical compounds such as metabolites or proteins. All research will be done in accordance with the consent form signed by each participant. No human DNA will be analyzed as part of this or any future studies.
What will happen to the collected data?
The data from this study will be analyzed by our scientists and included as part of a scientific publication describing our findings. The data will also be shared with the research community through publicly accessible databases. In this way, your contribution may help advance microbiome science and help shape the future of health and personalized nutrition. Any directly identifying personal information will be removed before data are shared to protect the privacy of all participants. For any identifying information, we have a robust security system in place to minimize the risk of potential data breaches.
Danone Nutricia Research
Danone Nutricia Research is the global research and innovation organization of Danone. Our two main R&I centres are located in Paris-Saclay (France) and Utrecht (the Netherlands), with other research teams located all over the world.
In our research, partnerships and innovations, we rely on the passion and expertise of our employees on life science, nutrition, food science, technology, and user experience to pioneer nutritional solutions for all people, including those with special nutritional needs.
At Danone Nutricia Research we believe in the power of food to make a positive difference to health.
The Microsetta Initiative
The Microsetta Initiative (TMI) is an international and highly collaborative microbiome research project based out of the Knight Lab and the Center for Microbiome Innovation (CMI) at UC San Diego. It expands upon the efforts that started in 2012 with the American Gut Project (AGP) to now reach more audiences worldwide. TMI’s mission is to engage citizen scientists in microbiome research, emphasizing inclusion, standardization of technical practices, and utilization of modern molecular methodologies. Data produced by the project are de-identified and placed into the public domain. This way, TMI’s output becomes a resource for researchers worldwide to help accelerate discovery.
Want to know more?
