The purpose of the study is to elucidate the gut microbiota of the healthy Malaysian. This will lead to a better understanding of the distribution of important microbial taxa across different age group, gender, ethnicity across healthy Malaysian. Further, the study will also help setting the reference range of the important bacteria taxa found in the healthy Malaysian. This therefore has the potential to improve our ability for early diagnosis for gut related diseases through faecal microbiota profiling. 

It is important for you to answer all the questionnaire as accurately as possible. If your are taking medications, or are having gastrointestinal conditions (e.g. diarrhoea, constipation etc.), you must inform the study coordinators.

It is also important for you to return the sample bottles with specimens according to instructions in the volunteer kit. 

This study is funded by AMILI Pte Ltd Singapore, as part of a research collaboration with Monash University Malaysia. The sequence data of your samples will be deposited in the public domain, and be used as part of the AMILI and Monash microbiome database. 

All information obtained in the study will be kept and handled in a confidential manner, in accordance with applicable laws and/or regulations. This study has been approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC) [Project ID: 30430]. Only researchers involved in this study will access your data while your study data will be securely stored in password protected spreadsheets.

When publishing or presenting the study results, your identity will not be revealed without your expressed consent. 

You will receive a simple report of the diversity and composition of your gut microbiota. We will highlight in the report if any abnormal findings were detected. The overall study results will not be informed to you. However, it will be available in the form of journal publication.

If you have any questions about the study, you may contact Prof Sadequr Rahman (sadequr.rahman@monash.edu), Dr Chong Chun Wie (ChongChunWie@monash.edu) or Dr Polly Yap (polly.yap@monash.edu) for further information.