Photo by Meghan Mariner
Gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s disease affect 40% of Americans. This statistic is close to home for Jordan Moore (PWS ’24). His younger brother was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) when he was in high school. The disease affected him by delaying important goals for him, like serving a mission and attending college. After majoring in genetics, genomics, and biotechnology at BYU, Moore realized he could make a difference in his brother’s life. This motivation continues to drive his studies and dreams.
Moore recently developed a potential solution to his brother’s health problems with a diagnostic tool called BioME, which identifies the types and amounts of bacteria in a person’s digestive tract. BioME uses a blood test to map an individual’s gut microbiome. Other tests, such as fecal samples, can only identify the species present in a person’s body and only cover parts of the digestive tract, such as the large intestine. While antibiotics can target specific types of bacteria, they only know what species are present, limiting doctors’ scope and ability to treat tumors. BioME could inform specialists on how much medicine to prescribe to patients, and is poised to change millions of lives.
Photo by Meghan Mariner
Moore took BioME to the 2024 Student Innovator of the Year competition, placing in the top seven and winning a $4,000 prize. He credits his mentors at BYU for helping him get to where he is. “I’m grateful to have had some really great mentors who pushed me to really push my idea and make it a reality,” Moore says.
“Jordan is phenomenal,” said an enthralled Dr. Tim Jenkins, Professor Moore’s supervisor. “His curiosity was clear from the moment he joined the lab. He always asks great questions and is constantly thinking about how to apply technology to different medical conditions. He is an exceptionally talented man with a great future ahead of him.”
With the encouragement of her classmates, Moore also won the highly competitive National Barry Goldwater Scholarship. “It was really amazing to have a community of students, especially in Dr. Jenkins’ lab, who reached out to me and encouraged and supported me to apply for this scholarship,” Moore recalls.
Photo by Meghan Mariner
Pursuing metagenomics and biotechnology at BYU changed Moore’s perspective on his divine potential and his ability to contribute to his family and community. “As a 22-year-old undergraduate with a pretty big idea to revolutionize the way we treat gut health, I felt like a fraud,” Moore said. “To have my efforts recognized on a national scale was huge for me. I would say to anyone wanting to pursue a great idea or innovation, you’re not a fraud and you should aim for the stars.”
Moore is keen to see his innovation used to transform the lives of people suffering from serious gut health issues, and after graduating in December, he hopes to build BioME into a business that revolutionises the gastrointestinal health industry.
