The BioCollective Invests in the National Microbiome Initiative

The BioCollective Invests in the National Microbiome Initiative to Advance Much-Needed Research

Commitment Announced at the Launch of the National Microbiome Initiative,
a White House Effort to Increase the Understanding of how Microorganisms Affect Our Health, Food and Environment


WASHINGTON, DC - (May 17, 2016) - The BioCollective will lead a $250,000 collaboration with the Health Ministries Network (HMN) to build a microbiome data and sample bank and to support the engagement of underrepresented groups in microbiome research, including those suffering from sickle cell disease. The effort, which will foster the integrated study of microbiomes across different ecosystems, is part of the National Microbiome Initiative (NMI) announced by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), in collaboration with Federal agencies and private-sector stakeholders, to advance our understanding of the microbiome in our health, food and the environment.

Microbiomes are the communities of microorganisms that live on or in people, plants, soil, oceans, and the atmosphere. They maintain healthy function of these diverse ecosystems, influencing human health, climate change, food security, and other factors. Dysfunctional microbiomes are associated with issues including human chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and asthma; Although new technologies have enabled exciting discoveries about the importance of microbiomes, scientists still lack the knowledge and tools to manage microbiomes in a manner that prevents dysfunction or restores healthy function.

The BioCollective, founded by Martha Carlin, is a direct-to-consumer microbiome marketplace where members receive a percentage of revenue from microbiome sample sales to scientists. By becoming a member of The BioCollective, individuals help advance microbiome research and learn about their own microbiome along the way.

Speaking at the launch of the National Microbiome Initiative, Martha Carlin emphasized, We need a collective approach to identifying how our microbiome works for, and against us. The only way to undercover these facts is through an open ecosystem where research and data is shared, not shuttered. The companies, non-profits and government representatives in this room are to be commended for their dedication to advancing our understanding of these organisms that are proving to have considerable effects on the health of our nation.

For the NMI, The BioCollective will fund sample collection, processing, storage and distribution with the goal of gathering 1,000 samples from those with sickle cell disease or its genetic traits. The BioCollective will collaborate with the Health Ministries Network, a division of the Future Marketing Group, LLC to engage minority populations. This effort will be launched in Baltimore on June 19th, World Sickle Cell Day, but will be available to qualified contributors across the country. For more information, visit gosickle.com.



About The BioCollective
The BioCollective is a microbiome marketplace that aims to generate a collaborative, market-based approach to the challenge of accelerating research and discovering therapeutic avenues to managing and treating chronic diseases, cancer and obesity.

Founded in 2015 by Chief Executive Revolutionary, Martha Carlin, after years of researching and managing her husbands Parkinsons disease, The BioCollective is based in Centennial, Colorado.

Press Contact:
Colleen Kazemi
Colleen.kazemithebiocollective.com
303.722.5117