A Pilot Characterization of the Human Chronobiome

Area of Science:

• Chronobiology
• Human Physiology
• Microbiome Research

Background:

• Physiological functions, disease progression, and drug responses exhibit daily variations.
• Disruptions in circadian rhythms are linked to metabolic, immune, and neurological disorders, and increased cardiovascular risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of detecting time-dependent signals (the chronobiome) in free-living humans amidst behavioral variability.
• To establish a scalable method for characterizing the human chronobiome in real-world settings.

Main Methods:

• Integration of data from remote sensors, physiological measurements, and multi-omics analyses (metabolome, oral microbiome).
• Analysis of temporal patterns in sensor readouts and biological samples from human volunteers.

Main Results:

• 62% of sensor data demonstrated time-specific variability, including blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels.
• Temporal patterns were identified in the plasma (5.4%) and saliva (5.6%) metabolome, and in specific oral microbiome genera.
• Despite small sample size, the study confirms the feasibility of large-scale human chronobiome characterization.

Conclusions:

• The human chronobiome can be characterized "in the wild" using integrated data streams.
• This foundational data is crucial for identifying disease patterns, developing time-specific therapies, and optimizing treatments.