We exist to help growers to grow more sustainably by reducing inputs used and crops lost to diseases.
Our Mission
At Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech, we help growers with broad-spectrum microbiome and disease detection for their crops. We use the latest genomic technologies and data-driven insights to simplify early pathogen detection, remediation and crop loss prevention.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a simple and effective microbiome and disease monitoring program for growers to use with ease. By making disease detection easier, we help growers mitigate disease risk and reduce inputs, helping them to transition to more sustainable growing practices.
Our Team of Experts
Dr. Trevor C. Charles
Co-founder
Trevor brings world-class genomics, microbiome science, and pathogen surveillance into detection tools.
Trevor has 25+ years at the University of Waterloo, building research programs in bacterial molecular genetics, plant-associated microbiomes, and genomic pathogen surveillance, the foundation that advanced disease detection depends on. He is a recognized leader in the field, including the Wiley Research Heroes Prize and senior editorial roles at major plant-microbe journals, which are signals of credibility and peer trust. When you need the highest scientific standard behind your testing strategy, his depth is the backbone.
Dr. Michael D.J. Lynch
Chief Science Officer
Michael turns lab DNA results into clear pathogen risk signals for hydroponic systems.
Michael is a microbial ecologist and bioinformatician with a strong publication record in ecology, microbiome methods, and applications. At Healthy Hydroponics, he combines proven microbiome analysis with curated pathogen databases, statistics, and Machine Learning to convert complex data into actionable, translational knowledge under real-world growing conditions. This is the kind of capability you call in when you need interpretation you can trust, instead of a report that leaves you guessing.
Dr. Delaney Nash
Director of Research and Innovation
Delaney turns DNA-based monitoring into clear early warning signals that growers can act on.
Delaney is a University of Waterloo researcher trained in environmental virology, genomics, and bioinformatics. Her specialization is detecting and interpreting viral signals in complex water systems, including hydroponics and wastewater, where the targets can be easily missed. Her expertise enables innovative, customized testing strategies to address the everyday challenges growers face. If you are facing uncertainty and need the earliest possible read on risk, her expertise in separating accurate pathogen signal from background noise is essential.
Dr. Jiujun Cheng
Director of Technology Applications
Cheng turns challenging samples into dependable results through careful lab processing and quality control.
Cheng specializes in end-to-end sample processing, including low-biomass eDNA extraction, development of specific primers and probes, marker gene amplification, and next-generation and third-generation sequencing. His hands-on expertise ensures consistent, reliable, high-stakes results for precision agriculture.
How We Got Started
In 2020, we were awarded grants from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative to strengthen the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sector, and from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program. This two-year project allowed us to work with CEA farmers in Canada to collect samples from their hydroponic soil-less systems to identify the microbiomes (microbial communities) in farms of various crops and hydroponic setups. We also collected environmental metadata in tandem with the samples allowing us to analyze microbial trends and diversity in the data within a farm as well as among farms and groups of crops. Identifying the microbiomes in soil-less production systems allowed us to create markers that detect microorganisms specifically and quickly.
We believe controlled environment agriculture including greenhouse and vertical farming are the future for producing sustainable vegetable crops and our goal is to help growers provide the world with an abundance of healthy and quality foods.
Healthy Hydroponics is a part of Metagenom Bio Life Science Inc.
Metagenom Bio Life Science Inc. is a biotechnology company in Waterloo, Canada that specializes in providing DNA and eDNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis to academic institutions and industry. Our skillful scientists are trained in molecular biology and bioinformatics and can help you interpret your microbiome data so that you can make informed decisions.
