Microbiome

Human Microbiome Project (HMP)

The human body is colonized by thousands of microbial species, together referred to as the microbiome. Humans have about ten times more microbial cells than human cells, and the number of genes contained in the microbiome is more than 100 times greater than the number found in the human genome.

How Does the Diet Impact Microbiota?

Achievements of the Human Microbiome Project

Human Microbiome

Microbiome and Disease

Gut Bacteria and Autism Development

Oral Microbiota

Skin Microbiota

Gut Microbiota

Fecal Microbiota Transplant

Fecal Microbiota Transplant Technique

Fecal Microbiota Transplant Regulation

See more featured articles »

What is Vaginal Microbiome?

Risk Factors for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Conjunctiva microbiota

The Microbiome and Aging

Microbiome-Host Cell Interactions

Antibiotics and the Microbiome

Microbiome and Cancer

Dysbiosis and Ageing

Vaginal Microbiome and Premature Birth

Is Coffee Good for the Gut?

Alzheimer's Disease and the Microbiome

Parkinson's Disease and the Gut Microbiome

Fermented Foods and Gut Health

Does the Microbiome Interact with the Human Endocrine System?

Genetic Factors that Influence Bacterial Diversity in the Human Gut

Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet on the Gut Microbiota

How “Fad” Diets Affect the Gut Microbiota

Drug Metabolism and Microbiome

Do Serotonin and Antidepressants Affect the Microbiome?

Can you Treat a Food Allergy by Altering the Gut Microbiome?

Is There a Link Between Migraine and the Gut Microbiome?

Disease Susceptibility and the Microbiome

Latest Microbiome News and Research

Study: Early introduction of solid foods may predispose infants to obesity

Infants who were started on solid foods at or before three months of age showed changes in the levels of gut bacteria and bacterial byproducts, called short-chain fatty acids, measured in their stool samples, according to a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

1 Apr 2020

TGen ramps up testing for COVID-19 to combat global health threat

Since mid-January, the Translational Genomics Research Institute has joined the world-wide effort to test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing the COVID-19 disease.

31 Mar 2020

How to boost your immune system to fight coronavirus

As the world struggles with the coronavirus pandemic, more and more people are trying to protect themselves against the virus by all means possible. There are currently no vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), so boosting the immune system by way of diet, regular exercise, and sleep are sensible measures.

31 Mar 2020

UDCA treatment affects C. diff life cycle, reduces inflammatory response in mice

Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that a commonly used drug made from secondary bile acids can affect the life cycle of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) in vitro and reduce the inflammatory response to C. diff in mice.

30 Mar 2020

Scientists discover a completely new antibiotic resistance gene

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are critically important for treating several types of infections with multi-resistant bacteria.

27 Mar 2020

Microbiome could help identify pre-cancer risk in women with HPV

A new study published in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens in March 2020 reports the possible use of the bacteria Gardnerella found in the cervix and vagina of women with Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, as a marker of precancerous change. The findings could help to find new methods of treatment that involve inducing changes in the microbiome to arrest the course of the disease.

26 Mar 2020

Diet, nutrition have profound impact on microbial composition in the gut

Nutrition and diet have a profound impact on microbial composition in the gut, in turn affecting a range of metabolic, hormonal, and neurological processes, according to a literature review by scientists from the George Washington University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

25 Mar 2020

Presence of certain gut bacterium in mothers could protect babies from food allergies

Researchers have found that bacteria in a mother’s gut during pregnancy can protect the baby from developing food allergies.

25 Mar 2020

Detailed map of human tongue microbiome

A new study published in the journal Cell Reports in March 2020 reports the use of advanced and rapid spectral imaging techniques to develop a detailed map of microbial communities on the human tongue. The research will help to understand how such communities grow and form organized patterns.

24 Mar 2020

Commonly used mouthwash increases lactate-producing bacteria that lower saliva pH

The first study looking at the effect of chlorhexidine mouthwash on the entire oral microbiome has found its use significantly increases the abundance of lactate-producing bacteria that lower saliva pH, and may increase the risk of tooth damage.

24 Mar 2020

Microbiome search-based method can improve efficiency in disease detection and diagnosis

Big data makes big promises when it comes to providing insights into human behavior and health. The problem is how to harness the information it provides in an efficient manner.

23 Mar 2020

Bacterial extracellular vesicles could combat antibiotic resistance

Children's National Hospital researchers for the first time have isolated bacterial extracellular vesicles from the blood of healthy donors, a critical step to better understanding the way gut bacteria communicate with the rest of the body via the bloodstream.

18 Mar 2020

Fecal Microbiota Transplants highly successful in treating patients with C.diff infection

A new study from the University of Birmingham has shown that Fecal Microbiota Transplants (FMT) are highly successful in treating patients with Clostridioides difficile (C.diff) infection.

13 Mar 2020

Gut microbiota generate bursts of diversity at unprecedented amounts

Scientists lead by Isabel Gordo, catch in real time the emergence of bursts of diversity in the microbiota, caused by bacterial cells with mutation rates similar to those of cancer.

12 Mar 2020

Air pollution exposure takes a heavy toll on gut bacteria, boosting risk of chronic illnesses

Breathing dirty air takes a heavy toll on gut bacteria, boosting risk of obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and other chronic illnesses, new University of Colorado Boulder research suggests.

11 Mar 2020

Blood test for microbial DNA could warn of cancer

A new study published in the journal Nature on March 11, 2020, could transform the currently held views on cancer causation and diagnosis. The researchers have come up with a new technique to detect the presence and type of cancer by looking at microbial DNA circulating in the blood of the person being screened.

11 Mar 2020

Microbial DNA in the blood could help identify who has cancer

When Gregory Poore was a freshman in college, his otherwise healthy grandmother was shocked to learn that she had late-stage pancreatic cancer. The condition was diagnosed in late December. She died in January.

11 Mar 2020

Diet influences multiple sclerosis disease course

The short-chain fatty acid propionic acid influences the intestine-mediated immune regulation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

11 Mar 2020

Baylor College of Medicine and UH team up for new research collaborations

Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston are teaming up for new research collaborations.

10 Mar 2020

CRISPR-Cas system can be used to effectively target colitis pathogen

Research at North Carolina State University shows that the CRISPR-Cas system can be used to effectively target and eliminate specific gut bacteria, in this case Clostridioides difficile, the pathogen that causes colitis - a chronic, degenerative disease of the colon.

10 Mar 2020