Devices and methods for collecting gastrointestinal samples

A device for collecting gastrointestinal samples, the device comprising:

• a collapsed tube-shaped body with one closed end and one open end, wherein said collapsed state is formed by winding or folding said tube-shaped body, and
• an element configured to degrade over time to allow said collapsed tube-shaped body to gradually expand and collect a series of gastrointestinal samples through said open end from more than one region of a gastrointestinal tract, the degradation over time prevents the collapsed tube-shaped body from expanding all at once,
• wherein said tube-shaped body is coiled around an axis into one or more layers,
• wherein the one or more layers comprises an outer layer covered by an outer portion of the element and an inner layer covered by an inner portion of the element, and
• wherein degradation of the outer portion of the element and the inner portion of the element is controlled so that the outer layer is free to expand before the inner layer.