Want to help science? Send your poop to these researchers

Sebastian Koulitsky via Getty Images

“Le French Gut” project invites the French to send in their stool samples.

Science – 66 millionIntestines Different. To better understand the bacteria and microbes in our gut microbiome, the “Le French Gut” project launched this Friday, September 16, an appeal to the French to send in their samples. poop. Led by the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRE), Paris hospitals and Agroparistech, the study hopes to collect 100,000 stool samples by 2027.

The aim of this project is to map the French gut microbiome. The latter, often compared to the “second brain”, plays an important role in immune, neurological or digestive functions, recalling Science and the future. A better understanding of how it works may help explain how certain pathologies such as diabetes, Crohn’s disease or cancer can develop.

Participatory Science

But for that the scientists need help from the French. The first phase of their research is to collect 3,000 stool samples in 2022. If you want to participate it couldn’t be simpler: just go to the site. Frenchgut.fr And click “Join the Program”. All you have to do is create an account and answer a ten-minute questionnaire about your lifestyle and your eating habits. During the few days of waiting, you will receive a kit to collect your feces directly from your home, along with a user guide to find out how to send it by mail.

On the other hand, if you are a carrier of a small and/or few diseases, especially digestive diseases, you cannot participate. Additionally, only residents of metropolitan France can make this donation.

The best fight against chronic diseases

“Much scientific knowledge will be produced with the help of the French”promises on its site l‘Inre. This study will help define A “Personalized Preventive Nutrition” Some pathologies and “Fight Chronic Disease”. ” “The science of the microbiota is essential to unlocking new preventive and therapeutic avenues.”Microbiota expert researcher Joel Torre said during a press conference.

The “Le French Gut” project is part of a global study ” Million Microbiome of Humans Project”. According to our colleagues liberationChina, Denmark, Sweden and Estonia have already participated in this international microbiota database, with the first results expected in 2024.

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