The goal is to replace fecal capsules now being used in so-called fecal transplants. Their new technique has shown potential in studies with mice and the hope is that it will improve this life-saving treatment through standardization and pave its way toward mainstream medicine.
Today, fecal transplants are standard treatment for only a few severe gastrointestinal diseases, such as infections with C. difficile (CDI), where patients' lives are at risk. This is highly effective, helping nine out of ten patients and saving numerous lives annually.
However, the fecal donation process remains a "brown box," as researchers in the field call it. The exact content of donor feces is unknown, and the precise effect of the microbial transfer on the recipient is not fully understood, which limits the treatment's broader use.
