Improving people’s health, one “gutcheck” at a time

Dr. Nikitha Kendyala can give you all the clinical reasons why keeping your gut healthy makes sense. But if you ask her why she’s especially interested in the subject, she’ll tell you in plain, simple language: It’s personal.

“When I saw my mom undergo a lot of chemotherapy and [endure] low immunity from it, that gave me an understanding of why it’s essential to maintain your gut health to overcome or at least survive certain diseases and even their treatments,” said the Memorial University cancer biologist. “She motivated me.”

Though her mom passed away in 2020, Kendyala’s work—which she has pioneered with her microbiologist husband Dr. Purvikalyan Pallegar—is well on its way to reaching the world. In August, the researchers launched their first product through their medical startup company Nucliq Biologics: a novel kit that lets a person test their own stool for signs of trouble in the bacteria, fungi and viruses that live in a person’s gastrointestinal tract.

“Currently people can reach out to us on our website and place their order there and they will receive a kit at their homes,” Kendyala said. Customers send their samples back to Nucliq’s lab for analyses and “health insights … diversity is key and we give you a diversity score for your microbiome, if you have any pathogens and any bacteria present … also how is the microbiome impacting your physical endurance, metabolic health and mental health.”

Continue reading this story: click below to login/subscribe

Login or Subscribe