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Current understanding of the human microbiome

Journal Article · · Nature Medicine
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.4517· OSTI ID:1433770

Our understanding of the link between the human microbiome and disease, including obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and autism, is rapidly expanding. Improvements in the throughput and accuracy of DNA sequencing of the genomes of microbial communities associated with human samples, complemented by analysis of transcriptomes, proteomes, metabolomes and immunomes, and mechanistic experiments in model systems, have vastly improved our ability to understand the structure and function of the microbiome in both diseased and healthy states. However, many challenges remain. In this Review we focus on studies in humans to describe these challenges, and propose strategies that leverage existing knowledge to move rapidly from correlation to causation, and ultimately to translation.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1433770
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-132272
Journal Information:
Nature Medicine, Journal Name: Nature Medicine Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 24; ISSN 1078-8956
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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