Community Health Care: Therapeutic Opportunities in the Human Microbiome
The human microbiome harbors tremendous untapped therapeutic potential.
Science Translational Medicine
13 Apr 2011
Vol 3, Issue 78
p. 78ps12
Abstract
We are never alone. Humans coexist with diverse microbial species that live within and upon us—our so-called microbiota. It is now clear that this microbial community is essentially another organ that plays a fundamental role in human physiology and disease. Basic and translational research efforts have begun to focus on deciphering mechanisms of microbiome function—and learning how to manipulate it to benefit human health. In this Perspective, we discuss therapeutic opportunities in the human microbiome.
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Published In
Science Translational Medicine
Volume 3 | Issue 78
April 2011
April 2011
Copyright
Copyright © 2011, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments: We thank Chris Voigt, Ramnik Xavier, and members of the Sonnenburg and Fischbach laboratories for helpful discussions and comments on the manuscript. Funding: Research in the authors’ laboratories is supported by grants from the NIH (DP2 OD006515 to J.L.S. and DP2 OD007290 to M.A.F.); NIDDK (R01 DK085025 to J.L.S.); the Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research (M.A.F.); and a Young Investigator Grant from the Global Probiotics Council (M.A.F.). Competing interests: M.A.F. is an advisor for PureTech Ventures/Enlight Biosciences; J.L.S. is on the scientific advisory board of Ganeden Biotech and Metametrix.
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