Harvard Chan Microbiome Collection Core

The Microbiome Collection Core at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HCMCC) was established in response to a strong demand among the research community for validated microbiome sample collection kit configurations and easy usability for in-home sampling. The HCMCC supports population-scale microbiome sample collection to expand our understanding of the microbiome and to improve population health.

The HCMCC has developed a multi carrier-compatible home stool and oral sample collection kit that permits cost-effective multi’omic microbiome studies, leveraging the intellectual and infrastructure foundation laid by the HMP2 (the 2nd phase of Human Microbiome Project) and the MLSC (Massachusetts Life Sciences Center)-funded MICRO-N (MICRObiome Among Nurses) collection. By providing this customizable microbiome collection kit, we enable researchers to perform multiple different molecular assays including any combination of amplicon (16S / 18S / ITS), metagenomic, and metatranscriptomic sequencing, and metabolomics, as well as to tailor the kit configuration and collection plan to study-specific needs.