Number 2

Every day you flush away a treasure trove of microbes, and other good stuff that could be used to treat seriously ill people. Research shows that imbalances within the gut microbiome may be associated with a wide range of medical ailments ranging from acute intestinal infections such as those caused by the bacterium C. difficile, to complex chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Imbalances in the intestinal microbiome have even been associated with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease. Our scientists are developing safe treatments that are derived from rigorously screened intestinal microbiome material from healthy donors. Your donations could lead to future developments in medicine and make a difference to people’s lives.