The Microbiome

Watch

• How the food you eat affects your gut - Shilpa Ravella ↗TED-Ed
• Your Gut Microbiome: The Most Important Organ You’ve Never Heard Of | Erika Ebbel Angle | TEDxFargo ↗TEDx Talks
• Why live culture fermented foods are good for your gut | Kathryn Lukas | TEDxUniversityofNevada ↗TEDx Talks
• Do Gut Microbes Control Your Personality? | Kathleen McAuliffe | TED ↗TED
• How Bacteria Rule Over Your Body – The Microbiome ↗Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell
• The intestine - The body’s underappreciated control center and gut health | DW Documentary ↗DW Documentary

Read

• I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life ↗An engaging and expansive exploration of the microbial world within and around us, revealing its profound influence on all life.Ed Yong
• Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues ↗A compelling argument for how the modern assault on our microbial partners contributes to chronic diseases, urging a re-evaluation of medical practices.Martin J. Blaser
• The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood, and Your Long-Term Health ↗From leading researchers, a practical yet scientifically rigorous guide to nurturing a healthy gut microbiome for improved well-being.Justin Sonnenburg and Erica Sonnenburg
• The Human Microbiome Project: extending the definition of what it means to be humanA seminal essay outlining the ambitious goals and transformative potential of the Human Microbiome Project, reframing our understanding of human biology.Peter J. Turnbaugh, Ruth E. Ley, Micah Hamady, Claire M. Fraser-Liggett, Rob Knight, Jeffrey I. Gordon
• Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome ↗A landmark study mapping the microbial ecosystems of healthy humans, providing a foundational reference for understanding microbial diversity and function.The Human Microbiome Project Consortium

Voices to follow

• Rob Knight ↗A computational biologist who has been instrumental in mapping the microbial ecosystems within and around us, making complex microbiome data accessible.Professor of Pediatrics and Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego
• Justin Sonnenburg ↗His research illuminates the profound impact of diet on gut microbiota, offering critical insights into metabolic health and disease prevention.Associate Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine
• Martin Blaser ↗A physician-scientist who compellingly argues that the modern disruption of our ancestral microbiota contributes to the rise of chronic diseases.Director, Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University
• Ed Yong ↗His accessible and engaging writing, notably in 'I Contain Multitudes,' has demystified the intricate world of microbes for a broad audience.Science journalist and author

Glossary

• BacteriaBacteria are single-celled microbes that come in many shapes and sizes. Some bacteria can cause illness, but many are helpful and essential for our health. For example, the bacteria in yogurt help keep your digestive system working well.
• DiversityMicrobial diversity means having a wide variety of different types of microbes in your microbiome. A diverse microbiome is generally considered healthier and more resilient. For example, just like a diverse ecosystem with many different plants and animals is strong, a diverse gut microbiome with many types of bacteria is better able to handle changes.
• DysbiosisDysbiosis is an imbalance in the microbiome, meaning there are too many harmful microbes, not enough beneficial ones, or a lack of diversity. This imbalance can sometimes lead to health problems. For example, if you take antibiotics that kill off many good bacteria along with the bad, it can lead to dysbiosis, sometimes causing digestive upset.
• FungiFungi are a group of microbes that include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. Like bacteria, some fungi can cause problems, but many are harmless or even beneficial. For example, the fungus that causes athlete's foot is a harmful one, but the yeast used to brew beer is a helpful one.
• Gut MicrobiomeThe gut microbiome refers specifically to all the microbes, mostly bacteria, that live in your intestines (your gut). It plays a huge role in digesting food, making vitamins, and training your immune system. For example, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables helps feed a healthy gut microbiome.
• MicrobesMicrobes are extremely tiny living organisms, like bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that are too small to see without a microscope. They live all around us and inside us. For example, the yeast used to make bread rise is a type of microbe (a fungus).
• MicrobiomeThe microbiome is the collection of all the tiny living things, called microbes, that live in and on your body. Think of it like a bustling city of microscopic residents, each with a job to do. For example, your gut microbiome helps you digest food and stay healthy.
• PathogensPathogens are microbes that can cause disease or harm to their host (the organism they live in). They can be bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other tiny organisms. For example, the bacteria that cause strep throat are pathogens.
• PrebioticsPrebiotics are special types of fiber that your body can't digest, but the good bacteria in your gut can. They act like food for your beneficial microbes, helping them grow and thrive. For example, foods like onions, garlic, and bananas contain prebiotics that nourish your gut bacteria.
• ProbioticsProbiotics are live, beneficial microbes, usually bacteria, that can provide health benefits when consumed. They are often found in fermented foods or supplements. For example, some yogurts contain probiotics that can help restore good bacteria in your gut after you've taken antibiotics.
• SymbiosisSymbiosis is a close, long-term relationship between two different kinds of living things. When both organisms benefit from the relationship, it's called mutualism. For example, the relationship between humans and their gut bacteria is a form of mutualism, where bacteria get food and a home, and we get help with digestion and immunity.
• VirusesViruses are tiny infectious agents that can only multiply inside the living cells of other organisms. They are often considered on the edge of "life" because they can't reproduce on their own. For example, the common cold is caused by a virus.

Threads 4

Where this connects to other fields, and why it's worth knowing.

• The Make-or-Buy Decision Business

  Companies constantly decide whether to make something themselves or buy it from a supplier. Evolution made the same call inside your gut: humans lost the ability to build vitamins B12 and K, so we outsource them to bacteria living in our intestines. There's a make-or-buy business boundary drawn right through your belly.

• Emotion & Emotional Regulation Psychology

  The bacteria living in your gut make a lot of your serotonin and GABA, the same chemicals that steady your mood, and they message your brain through a nerve highway called the vagus nerve. Raise mice with no gut bacteria and they act visibly anxious. So your mood isn't just yours; your microbes get a vote.

• Human Development & Readiness Education

  Early childhood is a narrow window for two very different things: learning and immunity. Miss the early exposure to everyday germs and your immune system can misfire into lifelong allergies. Just like learning has sensitive periods, so does your microbe training, and once the window shuts, the settings lock in.

• Ecosystem Tipping Points Environment

  Take strong antibiotics and you can wipe out a key species of gut bacteria, and then a nasty bug called C. difficile explodes to fill the gap, like weeds taking over a forest after a fire. Your gut is a tiny ecosystem that can collapse just like a real one. And the fix, a fecal transplant, works by replanting a healthy jungle of microbes into the wreckage.