Martha Carlin, BS

Martha Carlin is a systems thinker and "Citizen Scientist" whose groundbreaking work in the microbiome field was catalyzed by a deeply personal journey. When her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at just 44, Martha turned from a successful career in business strategy and complex problem-solving to the uncharted frontier of microbiome science. With no formal training in medicine or microbiology, she relied on her analytical acumen and relentless curiosity to uncover patterns overlooked by conventional research.

Martha’s investigations led her to the microbiome years before it became a household word. She founded The BioCollective in 2015—one of the first organizations to collect, analyze, and commercialize human microbiome data to accelerate discovery. Working alongside luminaries like Dr. Jack Gilbert and currently collaborating with physicist Dr. Barry Ninham on water structuring and microbial systems, her research has been featured in peer-reviewed publications contributing to the scientific understanding of the microbiome’s role in chronic disease.

Her credibility as a researcher has been further recognized by her TEDx talk, “Do Gut Bacteria Predict or Cause Diseases like Parkinson’s?”, and her invitation to speak at the White House Microbiome Initiative—an acknowledgment of her contributions to national and global discussions in microbiome science.

As the founder and CEO of BiotiQuest, Martha has overseen the development of a line of targeted probiotic formulations, using proprietary bacterial strains selected not just for their individual traits but for how they perform as microbial guilds—ecosystems that support metabolic health, immune resilience, sleep, cardiovascular function, and recovery after antibiotic use. Many of these strains are uniquely capable of addressing modern toxicological burdens, including glyphosate, underscoring her commitment to addressing root causes, not just symptoms.

Martha's approach is informed by terrain theory, microbial ecology, and genetic analysis, making her a rare voice who blends intuition, personal experience, and scientific rigor. She is proficient in microbiome analytics and metagenomics, capable of interpreting microbial signatures and translating them into actionable insights.

Today, she continues to bridge ancient wisdom with modern science, inviting a deeper understanding of how our microbial partners can help restore balance in both our bodies and our environments. Martha is living proof that you don’t need letters behind your name to drive scientific innovation—only persistence, pattern recognition, and the will to follow where the evidence leads.

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