The Microbiome in Health and Disease

This article considers the human microbiome—the collective genetic material of the microbes that live on and in the human body—and its relationships to human health and disease. The article begins by reflecting on the technologies, both hardware and software, that have made possible the explosion of explorations of the human microbiome over the last decade. The article then reflects on the microbiome of four body sites: the skin, the vagina, the oral cavity, and the gut, and the contribution of the microbiome to health and disease in these four areas of the body. Major diseases of these areas in which the microbiome has a major role are discussed, including acne, atopic dermatitis, wound healing, bacterial vaginosis, Alzheimer's disease, preterm birth, periodontal disease, dental caries, metabolic disorders, and obesity. Linkages between the microbiome and inflammatory processes are described throughout these discussions. This article concludes with a short description of possible research avenues for applications of the strategies and systems biology tools to further elucidate the role of the human microbiome in health and disease.