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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
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Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children

Published on: December 31, 2017

Exploring the Early-Life Microbiomes of Preterm Infants and Their Childhood Health Outcomes (The BLOOM Study):

Michelle R Asbury1,2,3,4, Andrea Guedez1,2,3,4, Jessica Lee1,2,3,4

  • 1Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, HRIC Room 4A25, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada, 1 403-220-7803, 1 403-220-7803.

JMIR Research Protocols
|August 18, 2026
PubMed

Insights

The BLOOM study tracks preterm infants' gut microbiome development for three years, linking it to long-term health outcomes like asthma and neurodevelopment. This research aims to identify risk factors and inform interventions for improved infant health.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Pediatric health
  • Developmental biology

Background:

  • Early-life gut microbiome establishment is crucial for long-term health.
  • Preterm infants have disrupted microbial colonization, increasing risks for conditions like asthma and impaired neurodevelopment.
  • Understanding preterm infant microbiome development is key to optimizing health and developing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine how early-life microbiomes influence the health and development of preterm infants into childhood.
  • To investigate the factors predicting microbial patterns in preterm infants.
  • To establish links between the preterm infant microbiome and childhood health outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, observational cohort study (BLOOM) recruiting infants (<37 weeks gestation) and families.
  • Collection of maternal and infant biological samples (stool, urine, human milk, nasal swabs, hair, blood) over three years.
  • Assessment of health outcomes and developmental milestones through clinical testing and questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • Recruitment for BLOOM commenced in 2019, with 245 participants enrolled as of May 2026.
  • Ongoing recruitment and data collection for this comprehensive cohort study and biobank.
  • Initial characterization of early-life microbiome profiles for the first 105 infants published in December 2025.

Conclusions:

  • The BLOOM study provides a comprehensive resource for understanding preterm infant microbiome development.
  • Characterizing microbiome patterns and correlating them with health outcomes will identify disease risk factors.
  • Results will inform the design of microbial therapeutics and generate hypotheses on microbiome-health links.
Abstract

Keywords:
allergyasthmacohort studyimmune developmentmicrobiomeneurodevelopmentprematurity

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