Our Science | NirvanaBiome

Our Microbiomes are a Part of Us

Our bodies are made up of more than just human cells — we also host trillions of microbes that live in and on us, especially in our gut. This community of organisms, known as the microbiome, contains the genetic material of all the microorganisms that inhabit your gut.

These microbes play many important roles in the body. By sequencing their DNA, we’re able to identify which organisms are present and begin to interpret what they’re doing — offering valuable insight into how your microbiome may be impacting your health.

What Microbes Do for You

Microbes aren't just passengers — they actively support your body in key ways:

Producing short-chain fatty acids and essential vitamins
Helping you digest complex foods
Regulating immune responses
Communicating with the brain to influence mood and cognition

Why Test Your Microbiome?

Your microbiome changes in response to diet, exercise, sleep, stress, medications, and lifestyle. With NirvanaBiome testing, you can:

Identify your unique microbial makeup
Understand how it may affect your health
Uncover insights to guide dietary and lifestyle choices

Team of tiny doctors checking bowel for inflammation

Whole Genome Shotgun Sequencing

At NirvanaBiome, we use whole genome shotgun sequencing (also called WGS), for consistent, high-quality results and genome identification.

With whole genome shotgun DNA sequencing, we are able to characterize the microbes found in your gut and understand some of the functions they may be performing. You will find estimates of the amount of microbes that were identified in your sample, and can compare your microbes to our group of more than 800 healthy people.

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	16S Sequencing	NirvanaBiome Shotgun Sequencing

Accuracy	Low	High
Kinds of Microorganisms	Bacteria Only	Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, Protists
Resolution	Low	High
% of Genome Considered	0.01%	Up to 100%
Distinguish Pathogens vs Commensals
Antibiotic Resistance
Metabolic Function
Bacteria Identification
Virus Identification
Fungi Identification
Protist/Parasite Identification
C. difficile toxin genes