I-Corps: Characterization of the Vaginal Microbiome Through Sampling Kits

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to enable wider adoption of vaginal microbiome testing solutions. The most common vaginal dysbiosis is bacterial vaginosis (BV) which affects 30% of women at any given time. Having BV puts women at risk for increased incidence of sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections, and, if pregnant, preterm birth, low birth weight, and spontaneous abortion. Yet, most women don't even know they have BV. BV is only treated if it is symptomatic, but half of all cases are asymptomatic. Therefore, there are millions of women with BV, who are at risk for infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes, but are unaware of their risk. This technology would allow for discrete at-home testing that includes an easy to understand report that can be shared directly with the patient's physician.This I-Corps project will explore the commercial potential of an at-home sampling kits for analyzing the vaginal microbiome (bacteria). The vision is to empower women with new knowledge about their health, and drive innovative care around female related bacterial disorders. The core of our technology is twofold - DNA sequencing and bioinformatics. For DNA sequencing, our technology uses Illumina sequencers to analyze a vaginal bacterial sample to attain part of the bacterial genomes. A proprietary bioinformatics pipeline is then used to categorize and quantify the bacteria present in the sample. Classifying the bacteria then allows the user to better understand how they can get and stay healthy.