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In a novel move blending traditional food culture with cutting-edge medical research, scientists in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, are seeking stool donors to help develop next-generation therapies. The initiative, spearheaded by Metagen Therapeutics Inc.—a biotech startup born out of Juntendo University, Keio University, and the Institute of Science Tokyo—focuses on harvesting the rich and diverse gut bacteria found in the local population. Residents of the Shonai region, known for their high-fiber diets rooted in vegetarian “shojin” cuisine and seasonal ingredients, offer what researchers call “superb” intestinal flora, making their poop especially valuable for medical research.
The newly opened Tsuruoka stool donation facility, Japan’s first of its kind, is outfitted with custom-designed restrooms and a donor lounge. Participants aged 18–65 can earn 5,000 yen (about $34) per donation after passing a health screening. The collected stool is processed locally, with the gut bacteria extracted and sent to a manufacturing site in Kawasaki for drug development. These bacteria-rich samples will be used in the development of microbiome-based therapies aimed at treating chronic and intractable conditions such as ulcerative colitis, gastrointestinal cancer, and even Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers have long understood the critical role that gut bacteria play in human health—affecting digestion, immunity, and even neurological function. Modern diets and overuse of antibiotics, however, can disturb this delicate microbial balance. Metagen’s approach leverages fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), an emerging therapeutic method that uses healthy stool samples to restore gut flora in patients. The company hopes to begin clinical trials for its ulcerative colitis treatment by 2026 in both Japan and the U.S., with a commercial launch targeted for 2032.
The project is being embraced by the local community, with restaurants creating gut-friendly menus and residents responding positively to outreach efforts. Metagen Therapeutics sees the Shonai region not only as a source of potent bacteria but as a model for how culture, diet, and science can come together to improve global health.
