Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 21, 2026
05:49
A Simple Device to Rapidly Prepare Whole Mounts of the Mouse Intestine
Published on: October 27, 2015
20.9K
The National Institutes of Health Human Microbiome Project
1Coordinator, Human Microbiome Project, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
|June 29, 2016
Summary
The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) was launched by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance microbiome research. It provides resources and funding to explore the human microbiome
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Human Health
Background:
- The human microbiome plays a crucial role in health and disease.
- Understanding microbial communities is essential for medical advancements.
- Previous research highlighted the need for a coordinated, large-scale initiative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the human microbiome across different body sites.
- To develop standardized research methods and tools.
- To create a comprehensive database of microbial genomes and data.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing advanced sequencing technologies.
- Employing bioinformatics and computational analysis.
- Establishing standardized protocols for sample collection and processing.
Main Results:
- The HMP has generated a foundational dataset of the human microbiome.
- It has identified key microbial communities associated with various body sites.
- Resources and data are publicly available to the research community.
Conclusions:
- The HMP has significantly advanced the field of human microbiome research.
- It provides essential resources for future studies on microbiome-host interactions.
- NIH funding continues to catalyze microbiome research nationwide.
Related Concept Videos
01:50What is Monogastric Digestion?
The human body contains a monogastric digestive system. In a monogastric digestive system, the stomach only contains one chamber in which it digests food. Several other animal species also have monogastric digestive systems, including pigs, horses, dogs, and birds. This chapter, however, focuses on the human digestive system.
01:22Introduction to the Human Microbiota
Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity, and disease...
01:30Development of Human Microbiota
The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
01:27The Oral Microbiota
The oral microbiome includes a complex ecosystem comprising over 700 microbial species, identified through genomic sequencing and culture-based analyses to date. This community includes a core microbiome, found universally among individuals, and a variable component influenced by environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, and host genetics. Site-specific conditions, including oxygen gradients, pH levels, and nutrient availability, determine the spatial distribution of these microorganisms...
01:26Human Virome
The human body harbors a vast and diverse viral community known as the human virome. The virome includes bacteriophages that infect bacteria, and eukaryotic viruses that infect human cells. Transient dietary and environmental viruses also contribute to this dynamic ecosystem. Estimates suggest the human body may contain on the order of 10¹³ viral particles, though abundance varies widely by body site and detection method.Comprehensive characterization of the virome has become possible only with...
01:23Bacteriophages of the Human Virome
Bacteriophages are found throughout the human body. They may even outnumber eukaryotic viruses, forming an important and dynamic component of the human virome. Indeed, phages represent the most abundant viral entities, with densities in the gut reaching up to 10⁹ particles per gram of fecal matter, and many belonging to orders such as Caudovirales and Microviridae, while a substantial proportion remains unclassified as viral “dark matter.”Lysogeny and Genetic ExchangeIn the gut, bacteriophages...