The Vital Cells of Existence - The Science of Your Microbiome

Explore the fascinating world of microorganisms living within the human body in this comprehensive 1-hour 7-minute conference talk from the World Science Festival. Delve into the science of the microbiome, examining its crucial role in digestion, breathing, and disease prevention. Learn about the acquisition and stabilization of the microbiome, its connection to the immune system, and its mapping across different body areas. Investigate the effects of antibiotic use, the hygiene hypothesis, and the microbiome's link to modern diseases like obesity, depression, and autism. Discover the potential of fecal transplants, the gut-brain connection, and the comparison between hunter-gatherer and modern microbiomes. Gain insights into maintaining a healthy microbiome, its role in precision medicine, and the efficacy of probiotics. Featuring expert participants and moderated by Dr. Emily Senay, this talk offers a comprehensive overview of current microbiome research and its implications for human health.

- Program introduction
- Participant introductions
- When do we acquire our microbiome?
- Connection between the microbiome and our immune system
- Using mice to study the microbiome
- When does your microbiome stabilize?
- What is the Human Microbiome Project?
- How unique is each person's microbiome?
- Mapping the microbiome on different areas of the body
- The effects of extensive antibiotic use on the microbiome and cause of modern diseases
- Are the microbes in dirt good for us?
- Rates of asthma in the Amish and Hutterites
- Hygiene hypothesis
- Antibiotic use and the rise of obesity in the US
- Obesity and the microbiome
- How do changes in the microbiome get passed from generation to generation?
- C. difficile and fecal transplants
- Can fecal transplants be used to treat other diseases?
- Connection between the gut and the brain
- Can the microbiome cause depression?
- How do you study depression in mice?
- Is there a strong association between what is happening in the gut and behavior?
- Is the microbiome connected to autism?
- How do the microbiomes of hunter-gatherers living in primitive conditions compared to people with high exposure to antibiotics?
- Is it possible that we'll never recapture our full ancestral microbiota diversity?
- How can we keep our microbiome happy and healthy?
- The role of the microbiome in precision medicine and drug efficacy
- Do probiotics really work?