Illumina and Microba Life Sciences Partner to Accelerate Microbiome Research

MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Illumina, Inc., the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, announced today it united with leaders in precision gut microbiome science Microba Life Sciences to advance understanding of the human gut microbiome in human health and disease.

The partnership will bring together Microba’s high-quality proprietary gut microbiome analysis platform with Illumina’s revolutionising Next Generation Sequencing tools to generate the accurate metagenomic data researchers require to make new discoveries.

Focusing activities in Asia Pacific and Japan, the duo will work together to enable research studies that reveal connections between the microbiome and human health from mental health and Parkinson’s disease to nutrition and sleep.

Such projects wouldn’t be possible without access to the accurate and high-resolution data that Illumina’s methodology enables, combined with Microba’s analysis.

Microba CEO Mr Blake Wills said the partnership would further accelerate the adoption of gut microbiome profiling for research into human disease.

“There remains huge potential for research to enhance our understanding of the role the gut microbiome plays in health and disease states,” he said. “Combining Microba’s deep analysis capability with Illumina’s advanced technology, this potential is being realised.”

Illumina Vice President and General Manager of Asia Pacific and Japan, Ms Gretchen Weightman, explained that by working together the companies could rapidly deliver insights and the accessibility of gut microbiome analysis.

“With genomic sequencing at the forefront of understanding human health, the partnership will aim to explore and demonstrate potential applications of gut microbiome profiling by combining Illumina’s established credibility and global reach in NGS with Microba’s progressive analytical services,” she said.

With current projects including the exploration of treatments for Parkinson’s disease at the University of Queensland and the study of faecal microbiome transplants (FMT) used in the treatment of depression with the Food and Mood Centre, it’s expected that the partnership will increase the uptake of high-quality microbiome research to enable new discoveries important to human health.

About Microba Life Sciences

Microba Life Sciences is a precision microbiome science company working to transform human health through their world-leading technology in analysing the microbiome. Microba’s proprietary analysis platform enables researchers to reveal important connections and make new discoveries with accurate measurement of the gut microbiome. Powered by precision analysis, Microba’s end-to-end support includes a validated sample collection method, shotgun metagenomic sequencing and leading bioinformatics analysis.

About Illumina

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit www.illumina.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.