Devices for continual monitoring and introduction of gastrointestinal microbes

• US 20100331641A1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Persephone Biome, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC A Limited Corporation of The State of Delaware
• Inventors: Boyden, Edward S., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Bangera, Mahalaxmi Gita, Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/345
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 20/00 ICT specially adapted for functional genomics or proteomics, e.g. genotype-phenotype associations
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 20/20 Allele or variant detection, e.g. single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] detection
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 5/00 ICT specially adapted for modelling or simulations in systems biology, e.g. gene-regulatory networks, protein interaction networks or metabolic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Systems and methods described herein include those for the continual modification of intestinal microbes. Described herein are systems including sampling devices, analysis devices, computational devices and user interface devices as well as methods for the use of such devices in combination.

Claims

1. A system for continual modification of intestinal microbes comprising:

at least one sampling device operable for taking at least one sample of an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes;

at least one analysis device operable for analysis of the at least one sample;

at least one computational device operable for accepting data regarding the analysis of the at least one sample and comparing the data to a standard profile; and

at least one user interface device operably connected to the at least one computational device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sampling device comprises:

one or more electronic detectors.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more electronic detectors include at least one detector operable for sampling internal to a body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sampling device comprises:

one or more chemical sensors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sampling device comprises:

one or more physical sample collectors.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one sampling device comprises:

one or more containers.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one sampling device comprises:

one or more absorbent pads.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sampling device comprises:

at least one ingestible sampling device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one analysis device comprises:

at least one nucleic acid analysis device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one analysis device comprises:

at least one protein analysis device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one analysis device comprises:

at least one chemical analysis device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one analysis device comprises:

at least one electronic detectors.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computational device and the at least one user interface device are an integrated unit.

14. The system of claim 1, comprising:

at least one additional sampling device.

15. The system of claim 1, comprising:

at least one dietary sampling device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one dietary sampling device is operably connected to the at least one computational device.

17. The system of claim 1, comprising:

at least one dispensing device operably connected to the at least one computational device.

18. A system for monitoring and introducing gastrointestinal microbes into a mammalian gastrointestinal tract over time, comprising:

at least one gastrointestinal microbe analysis device;

at least one computational device;

at least one user interface operably connected to the at least one computational device; and

at least one dispenser operably connected to the at least one computational device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one gastrointestinal microbe analysis device is configured to be reusable.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one gastrointestinal microbe analysis device comprises:

at least one nucleic acid analysis device.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one gastrointestinal microbe analysis device comprises:

at least one protein analysis device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one gastrointestinal microbe analysis device comprises:

at least one chemical analysis device.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one gastrointestinal microbe analysis device includes an electronic detector.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one computational device is operably connected to the at least one gastrointestinal microbe analysis device.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one dispenser is configured to dispense at least one microbe, antibiotic, antifungal, prebiotic, or probiotic agent.

26. The system of claim 18, comprising:

at least one additional gastrointestinal microbe analysis device.

27. The system of claim 18, comprising:

at least one gastrointestinal microbe sampling device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one gastrointestinal microbe sampling device is ingestible.

29. The system of claim 18, comprising:

at least one dietary sampling device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one dietary sampling device is operably connected to the at least one computational device.

31. A computer implemented method comprising:

accepting data describing an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes present at a first time;

accepting data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status at the first time;

integrating, on a computing device, the accepted data regarding an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes and the accepted data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status into an individual profile for the first time;

comparing the individual profile for the first time to a standard profile; and

indicating, to at least one system user, one or more interventions relating to gastrointestinal microbes associated with directing the individual profile for the first time to be closer to the standard profile.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein accepting data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status at the first time comprises:

accepting data regarding the individual'"'"'s diet.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein accepting data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status at the first time comprises:

accepting data regarding at least one metabolic state of the individual.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein integrating, on a computing device, the accepted data regarding an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes and the accepted data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status into an individual profile for the first time comprises:

integrating the accepted data into an individual profile which includes a range of values for the data.

35. The method of claim 31, comprising:

creating, on a computing device, at least one difference listing between the individual profile for the first time and the standard profile;

associating at least one intervention with minimizing the at least one difference listing; and

indicating, to at least one system user, at least one intervention associated with minimizing the at least one difference listing.

36. The method of claim 31, comprising:

signaling for release of one or more gastrointestinal microbe.

37. The method of claim 31, comprising:

signaling for release of one or more probiotic agent.

38. The method of claim 31, comprising:

associating the individual profile with one or more interventions relating to gastrointestinal microbes to direct the individual profile for the first time to be closer to the standard profile.

39. The method of claim 31, comprising:

accepting data describing an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes present at a second time;

accepting data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status at the second time;

integrating, on a computing device, the accepted data regarding an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes and the accepted data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status into an individual profile for the second time;

comparing the individual profile for the second time to the standard profile; and

indicating one or more alterations in gastrointestinal microbes associated with directing the individual profile for the second time to be closer to the standard profile.

40. The method of claim 31, comprising:

accepting data describing an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes present at a second time;

accepting data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status at the second time;

integrating, on a computing device, the accepted data regarding an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal microbes and the accepted data regarding the individual'"'"'s health status into an individual profile for the second time;

comparing the individual profile for the second time to the individual profile for the first time; and

indicating, to at least one system user, at least one difference between the individual profile for the second time and the individual profile for the first time.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising:

comparing the individual profile for the second time to the standard profile; and

indicating to at least one system user at least one difference between the individual profile for the second time and the standard profile.

42. The method of claim 31, comprising:

accepting at least one personal parameter relating to the individual; and

selecting the standard profile to correspond with one or more of the at least one personal parameter.

43. A computer-implemented method for suggesting adjustments to gastrointestinal microbe profiles over time, comprising:

accepting data relating to an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition at an initial time;

comparing, on a computing device, the data relating to an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition at an initial time with at least one standard gastrointestinal tract microbial composition;

identifying differences between the data relating to an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition at an initial time and one or more of the at least one standard gastrointestinal tract microbial composition;

creating an initial difference listing of the identified differences between the data relating to an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition at an initial time and one or more of the at least one standard gastrointestinal tract microbial composition;

creating at least one initial action plan to alter the individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition to minimize the initial difference listing; and

indicating one or more of the at least one initial action plan to at least one system user.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the at least one initial action plan comprises:

one or more dietary suggestions.

45. The method of claim 43, comprising:

accepting data relating to an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition at a second time;

comparing, on a computing device, the data relating to an individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition at the second time with the initial difference listing;

creating a second difference listing;

creating at least one second action plan to alter the individual'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract microbial composition; and

suggesting one or more of the at least one second action plan to at least one system user.

46. The method of claim 43, comprising:

accepting data relating to the individual'"'"'s personal history; and

selecting one or more of the at least one standard gastrointestinal tract microbial composition in relation to the individual'"'"'s personal history.

47. The method of claim 43, comprising:

accepting data relating to at least one personal parameter of the individual;

creating an action plan in relation to the accepted data regarding the at least one personal parameter of the individual; and

indicating the action plan in relation to the accepted data regarding the at least one personal parameter of the individual to at least one system user.

48. The method of claim 43, comprising:

signaling at least some portion of the indicated one or more action plans to one or more dispenser.