Christian Calma is a Research Coordinator, and Dr. Les Dethlefsen is a staff scientist in the Relman Lab at Stanford University. Dr. Dethlefsen studies the microbiota of the human gut, focusing on how it varies over time, and on what happens when it's disturbed when we take antibiotics or change our diet.

I'm taking part in their study to further the cause and our understanding of how changes in the microbiota relate to changes in our health. I'm also excited about having all the data--80 samples over 34 weeks.

There are three arms of the trial. The first will have no perturbations; the second will receive antibiotics (ciprofloxacin), and the third (my arm) will supplement with resistant starch and Go-Lytely® solution. The resistant starch should build the microbiota up, and the solution should knock it back down.

You can find out more about the trial over at the Dynamics of the Human Microbiota website, and you can find out if you're eligible to take part by completing their online survey.