If metagenomics shows what your microbes could do, metabolomics shows what they, and your cells, are doing now. Read more in why the type of microbiome analysis matters and the cellular financial statement.
BIOLOGICAL DRIFT
One Test Is Only A Snapshot
Most health tests compare you with a population range. That tells you whether you are inside the average. It does not tell you whether you have moved away from your own normal.
Research increasingly points to within-person change as the more useful signal. A study of more than 9,000 people found that gut microbiomes become more individually unique from mid-life, and that the pattern of change, described by the authors as microbial drift, differed between healthy and less healthy older adults [1]. A Stanford-led study that profiled the same 109 people quarterly for up to eight years across the metabolome, microbiome and other layers generated more than 67 clinically actionable discoveries [2].
Measurement quality matters when you track change. Some widely used ageing clocks varied by up to nine years between repeat samples of the same blood until the methods were refined [3]. This is one reason vivaLAB does not report a single biological age score: we track specific systems that you can act on.
WHAT WE MEASURE
Our Tri-layer Testing Protocol
We read two living systems in the laboratory, then interpret them in the context of how you live.
METAGENOMICS
vivaBIOME (metagenomics)
Metagenomic sequencing of a stool sample, collected at home. 100+ consumer markers from 5,000+ research markers.
METABOLOMICS
vivaMETABOLITE (metabolomics)
Urine-based assessment of cellular biochemistry and metabolic function, collected at home. 50+ consumer markers from 2,500+ research markers.
LIFESTYLE-OMICS
vivaLIFESTYLE Assessment
A structured questionnaire covering diet, sleep, activity, stress, alcohol, health history and medications.
ACTIVATE YOUR DATA
From Data To Direction
vivaOS:
AI health intelligence platform
AI health intelligence platform
vivaOS brings your microbiome, metabolite and lifestyle data together, interprets it, and generates personalised nutrition, supplement and lifestyle recommendations. Every result you add builds your history, so vivaOS can show you which markers are moving and in which direction.
vivaSIM:
biological digital twin simulation platform
biological digital twin simulation platform
Once you have three or more sets of results, vivaSIM builds a model of your metabolism and gut function from your own data rather than a population average, and simulates how your trajectory may respond to changes. It is a simulation to guide decisions, not a guaranteed outcome.
vivaAGE:
a free place to start
a free place to start
COMING SOON: vivaAGE is a free self-report snapshot of lifestyle factors associated with healthy ageing. It is not a laboratory test, and it is a simple first step before you set a laboratory baseline.
SCIENCE & AI
Why Is This Possible Now?
Four technological shifts have allowed us to bring clinical-grade science out of the lab and into your hands.
Sequencing costs have fallen
Omics data that once cost millions to generate is now accessible at consumer prices, so your biology can be mapped in detail and measured again.
Cloud-scale data
Multi-omics produces large datasets. We store and process your health record securely in the cloud so it can grow as you retest.
AI that finds patterns across layers
vivaOS looks for associations between your microbiome, your urine metabolites, your lifestyle and your goals, patterns that are hard to see by reading separate reports.
At-home collection
You collect your samples at home and return them by post. Samples are processed in NATA and ISO-accredited laboratories.
Dr. Andrew O'Brien
Executive Chairman & Co-Founder
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Andrew advised some of the foundational companies in precision health, including Celera Genomics (the Human Genome project), deCODE Genetics (pioneers in population-scale gene discovery), and Amersham Biosciences (creators of essential gene/ DNA sequencing tools).
"It took almost 15 years and nearly $3 billion to complete the first human genome. Today, sequencing is faster and a fraction of the cost. That shift means we can offer what was once a research tool directly to people, to measure their own biology at home and see how it changes."
PHD SUPERVISION
Ethical Use of AI
Every recommendation, report and contraindication is reviewed by our accredited dietitians for accuracy, safety and relevance before it is released to a member. AI helps us find patterns; human expertise makes sure your recommendations are personal and responsibly delivered.
We believe AI is a powerful tool, but it's our human expertise that ensures your health recommendations are truly personalised and responsibly delivered.
vivaLAB is also a member of Australian Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (AAAiH) and the Australian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH). Both Peak Bodies are actively debating and responsible for creating and influencing the ethical implementation of AI in healthcare service delivery and data management.
PRECISION NUTRITION
Our approach is not just theoretical; it's backed by a growing body of clinical research demonstrating that personalised, data-driven nutrition derived from multi-omics testing leads to significant health improvements.
Every health claim we make links to peer-reviewed research, and we describe findings as associations unless a study shows more. Where the science is still developing, we say so. Our testing identifies and tracks markers to support health optimisation. It does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Power of AI
Improved Clinical Outcomes
Studies show that AI-powered precision nutrition recommendations from individual molecular data from multi-omics testing, can lead to significant improvements in chronic conditions.
A 2021 study published in bioRxiv found that data-driven personalised recommendations resulted in delivering improvements in:
36%
Severe depression
40%
Severe anxiety
38%
Severe IBS
Source:
Data-driven precision nutrition improves clinical outcomes... (bioRxiv, 2021)
Metabolism
Better Metabolic Health
Multi-omics testing informing data-driven precision nutrition, is highly effective for managing metabolic health. Research has demonstrated that tailored dietary advice can significantly reduce the risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes and obesity.
A review in Springer Nature highlighted that precision nutrition markedly improves these risk factors by accounting for individual genetics, lifestyle, and gut microbiome interactions.
Source:
Precision Nutrition to Improve Risk Factors of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (Springer Nature, 2023)
Longevity
A Foundation for Longevity
The future of healthy aging is personal and determined at a molecular level. Research from the UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health emphasises that to extend not just lifespan but healthspan, we must move beyond 'one-size-fits-all' advice.
By analysing an individual's unique 'omics' data (genomics, metabolomics, microbiomics), data-driven personalised nutrition holds the potential to optimise quality of life and promote healthy longevity.
Source:
Personalised Nutrition for Longevity (UC Davis, 2023)
Power of AI
Improved Clinical Outcomes
Studies show that AI-powered precision nutrition recommendations from individual molecular data from multi-omics testing, can lead to significant improvements in chronic conditions.
A 2021 study published in bioRxiv found that data-driven personalised recommendations resulted in delivering improvements in:
36%
Severe depression
40%
Severe anxiety
38%
Severe IBS
Source:
Data-driven precision nutrition improves clinical outcomes... (bioRxiv, 2021)
Metabolism
Better Metabolic Health
Multi-omics testing informing data-driven precision nutrition, is highly effective for managing metabolic health. Research has demonstrated that tailored dietary advice can significantly reduce the risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes and obesity.
A review in Springer Nature highlighted that precision nutrition markedly improves these risk factors by accounting for individual genetics, lifestyle, and gut microbiome interactions.
Source:
Precision Nutrition to Improve Risk Factors of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (Springer Nature, 2023)
Longevity
A Foundation for Longevity
The future of healthy aging is personal and determined at a molecular level. Research from the UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health emphasises that to extend not just lifespan but healthspan, we must move beyond 'one-size-fits-all' advice.
By analysing an individual's unique 'omics' data (genomics, metabolomics, microbiomics), data-driven personalised nutrition holds the potential to optimise quality of life and promote healthy longevity.
Source:
Personalised Nutrition for Longevity (UC Davis, 2023)
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Multi-omics testing combines more than one layer of biological data. vivaINSIGHT combines metagenomic sequencing of a stool sample (vivaBIOME) with a urine-based assessment of cellular biochemistry (vivaMETABOLITE), interpreted alongside a lifestyle assessment.
Biological drift is the gradual, usually invisible shift in your biology away from your own baseline over time. It is not a diagnosis. It becomes visible when you compare repeat results with your own earlier results.
vivaOS is our AI health intelligence platform. It interprets your results and generates personalised recommendations. vivaSIM is our biological digital twin simulation platform. It uses three or more sets of your results to model how your trajectory may respond to change.
No. vivaAGE is a free self-report snapshot of lifestyle factors associated with healthy ageing. vivaINSIGHT provides the laboratory-tested layers.
Urine concentrates metabolic by-products filtered by the kidneys over several hours, giving an integrated view of how your cells have been processing nutrients and energy. It also allows simple, repeatable collection at home.
No. vivaLAB identifies and tracks markers to support health optimisation. It does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Keep your GP checks and share your results with your practitioner. You can also upload any additional test results into Lifestyle Assessment, improving the resolution of your vivaINSIGHT Test.
DON'T GUESS
Decode Your Biology. Realise Your Potential.
Your first vivaINSIGHT test sets your baseline: one at-home kit, two lab-tested layers (vivaBIOME and vivaMETABOLITE) plus a lifestyle assessment, and a 20-page report. When you are ready to see your direction, vivaBALANCE retests you on a schedule.
References
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Wilmanski T, Diener C, Rappaport N, et al. Gut microbiome pattern reflects healthy ageing and predicts survival in humans. Nature Metabolism. 2021;3(2):274-286. doi:10.1038/s42255-021-00348-0. DOI
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Schüssler-Fiorenza Rose SM, Contrepois K, Moneghetti KJ, et al. A longitudinal big data approach for precision health. Nature Medicine. 2019;25(5):792-804. PMID: 31068711. PubMed
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Higgins-Chen AT, Thrush KL, Wang Y, et al. A computational solution for bolstering reliability of epigenetic clocks: implications for clinical trials and longitudinal tracking. Nature Aging. 2022;2(7):644-661. doi:10.1038/s43587-022-00248-2. DOI
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López-Otín C, Blasco MA, Partridge L, Serrano M, Kroemer G. Hallmarks of aging: an expanding universe. Cell. 2023;186(2):243-278. PMID: 36599349. PubMed
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Oh HSH, Rutledge J, Nie D, et al. Organ aging signatures in the plasma proteome track health and disease. Nature. 2023;624(7990):164-172. PMID: 38057571. PubMed
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Cryan JF, O'Riordan KJ, Cowan CSM, et al. The microbiota-gut-brain axis. Physiological Reviews. 2019;99(4):1877-2013. PMID: 31460832. PubMed