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The Microbiome and Human Health

There is increasing evidence that the microbial communities on and in the body – the human microbiome – have important implications for human health.

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There is increasing evidence that the microbial communities on and in the human body - the human microbiome - have important implications for human health. This POSTnote ecamines what is known about the human microbiome and conditions that are linked to it. The note then describes interventions to modify the human microbiome and examines the issues raised by their use and by microbiome research more generally.

Acknowledgements:

POSTnotes are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and are externally reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers (*) for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing including: 

Dr James Leigh (4D Pharma)

Peter Burlinson (BBSRC)*

Dr Alan Walker (University of Aberdeen)*

Professor Tariq Iqbal (University of Birmingham, Chair of Microbiome for health working group)*

Professor Peter Hawkey (University of Birmingham)*

Dr Matthew Brookes (British Society of Gastroenterology)*

Professor Julian Marchesi (University of Cardiff, Imperial College London)*

Edward Green (CHAIN Biotechnology)*

Professor John McLaughlin (CORE, University of Manchester)*

Mary Mcnamara (Department of Health and Social Care)*

Ruth Willis (Food Standards Agency)*

Dr Gordon Ford (Innovate UK)

Dr Jonathan Swann (Imperial College London)*

Dr Lesley Hoyles (Imperial College London)*

Dr David  MacIntyre (Imperial College London)*

Dr David Moyes (Kings College London)

Professor Kevin Whelan (Kings College London)*

Dr Debbie Shawcross (Kings College London)*

Dr Charles Vander Broek (Knowledge Transfer Network)

Dr Chris Jones (MHRA)*

Dr Paul Richards (Microbiology Society)*

Mike Romanos (Microbiotica)

Dr Karen Finney (MRC)

Dr Simon Goldenberg (NHS)

Paul Shercliff (NHS England)*

Dr Jamie Lorimer (University of Oxford)

Andrew Chapple (Quadram Institute)*

Dr Lindsay Hall (Quadram Institute)*

Dr Nathalie Juge (Quadram Institute)

Professor Ian Rowland (University of Reading)*

Professor Glenn Gibson (University of Reading)*

Professor Nigel Klein (University College London)

Professor Paul O'Toole (University College Cork)*

 

Channel website: https://www.parliament.uk/post

Original article link: https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/POST-PN-0574

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