The Story of OpenBiome

The human gut is teeming with trillions of bacteria and microbes. Understanding this mysterious part of our body is key to unlocking the future of medicine.

At OpenBiome, we’ve seen the therapeutic power of bacteria firsthand. Here’s a look at our journey so far to advance microbiome science.

  • A Life-Changing Fecal Transplant

    January 1, 2011

    A close friend of ours contracts a life-threatening C. difficile infection after a routine surgery. We watch him struggle through several rounds of failed antibiotic treatment for 18 months. After receiving a fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), his health rebounds within a few days.

    Learn more about FMT

  • OpenBiome is Founded

    January 15, 2013

    OpenBiome started as an initiative run out of an MIT-based laboratory. In 2013, we were officially founded as an independent nonprofit devoted to expanding access to FMT and catalyzing microbiome research.

    Meet Our Team

  • The First OpenBiome Treatment

    November 14, 2013

    OpenBiome ships its first FMT treatment to a hospital in Oakland, California. The patient—a 91-year-old woman who has experienced three recurrences of C. difficile—recovers from the infection.

    See Our Imapct

  • Reaching New Milestones

    February 1, 2016

    OpenBiome manufactures and ships its 10,000th FMT treatment.

  • Expanding Our Mission Globally

    March 1, 2017

    OpenBiome launches the Global Health Microbiome Initiative. Our first study explores whether FMT can help treat severe acute malnutrition in children. It's the first FMT clinical trial on the African continent.

    How We Work With Researchers

  • Another Milestone Met

    September 1, 2021

    OpenBiome manufactures and ships its 60,000th FMT treatment.

  • Logo of the Global Microbiome Conservancy

    Welcoming the Global Microbiome Conservancy to OpenBiome

    September 1, 2022

    OpenBiome assumes leadership of the Global Microbiome Conservancy (GMbC), a nonprofit initiative founded at MIT, and welcomes it as a flagship program. As part of OpenBiome, the GMbC will scale up its mission of collaborating with a diverse network of scientists to build a globally representative microbiome library.

    Learn About The GMbC

Help us build a world where the full potential of the microbiome radically improves health for all

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