Help Center

Researchers should follow the four steps below to place and receive an order for stool samples or bacterial isolates.

1. Register to create an account. During the registration process, which takes approximately 10 minutes, researchers will provide basic contact information as well information regarding institutional billing, biosafety, and legal personnel.
   
2. Place an order Registered users may place orders for stool samples or bacterial isolates.
   
3. Complete associated paperwork. Once an order is submitted, OpenBiome will share relevant paperwork and instructions with the researcher via email. Paperwork typically includes a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) and Recipient Scientist Acknowledgement (RSA).
4. Track Your Order. Upon verifying that the required paperwork has been completed, OpenBiome will ship research materials. Researchers can track the status of their order on their user dashboard.

Physicians should follow the three steps below to place and receive an order for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) preparations for the treatment of recurrent C. difficile infections

1. Register to join OpenBiome's clinical network.
   
2. Place an order. Registered physicians may place an order for a scheduled patient or to keep a stock of FMT treatments.
   
3. Track Your Order. OpenBiome typically ships FMT preparations for overnight delivery via FedEx and share tracking information with the ordering physician.

OpenBiome fulfills orders for researchers and physicians who provide credentials during the registration process.

Once a researcher places an order for stool samples or bacterial isolates, OpenBiome will email an a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) to the researcher as well as the legal signatory designated during the registration process.

The MTA is a legal agreement that governs how research materials may be used. The MTA must be signed by a legal signatory who is authorized to approve legal documents on behalf of the institution.

To ensure that the researcher has read and understood the terms of the MTA, we also require researchers to submit a Recipient Scientist Acknowledgment (RSA).

Once OpenBiome has received an MTA signed by a legal signatory and a RSA signed by the researcher, we will fulfill the order

We're here to learn more about your research project and how we can help. Please email your ideas and questions to info@openbiome.org. Depending on the request, OpenBiome may be able to provide custom orders for bacterial isolates and stool samples from specific donor populations (such as those who provided FMT material for clinical trials.)

Pending orders and shipments are tracked in your user dashboard. Questions regarding an order can be emailed to info@openbiome.org

We recommend propagating bacteria under anaerobic conditions (5% hydrogen, 5% carbon dioxide, 90% nitrogen), reduced Brucella agar (5% laked sheep's blood, supplemented with hemin and vitamin k) and incubation at 35 to 37 degrees Celsius. Allow 3 to 7 days for growth. Exceptions to these instructions will be indicated in the package insert. Examples of colony morphology of each isolate are provided in the table on the GMbC Starter Kit Webpage. Please email questions regarding isolate propagation to info@openbiome.org

OpenBiome provides microbes, data, therapies, and knowledge to fill critical gaps in microbiome research and healthcare. In addition to the research and clinical materials listed here, we also:

• Consult on establishing and operating stool banks
• Coordinate and convene interdisciplinary teams to identify and pursue the most promising directions in microbiome science.

Depending on the request, OpenBiome may be able to provide custom orders for bacterial isolates and stool samples from specific donor populations (such as those who provided FMT material for clinical trials.) We're always excited to learn more about your research project and needs so please feel free to email us at info@openbiome.org