Rich Haridy A team of US scientists is embarking on an immense project to catalog all the genes in the collective human microbiome. In the team’s first published study an astounding 46 million genes have been chronicled from just 3,500 human microbiome samples. Half of those genes are unique to single human samples. “Space is big. Really big. You just… Read more »
Rich Haridy A remarkable new study from scientists at Stanford University has revealed thousands of previously undiscovered small proteins produced by bacteria in the human microbiome. Almost all of these newly described proteins serve unknown functions in the human body and the researchers suggest their discovery opens up a new frontier for future therapeutic drug development. “It’s critically important to… Read more »
Study finds organic apples have more diverse and balanced bacterial community Gregory Robinson The impact of an apple a day in keeping the doctor away may be partly down to the beneficial bacteria it carries and their subsequent colonisation of your gut, according to scientists. A study has found that a typical apple carries more than 100m bacteria. Some of… Read more »
JENN SAVEDGE Farm kidsResearchers may have figured out what it is about life on a farm that protects kids from allergies and boosts their immune systems. Health experts have known for years that kids who grow up on a farm have fewer incidences of allergies and asthma than city kids, but continued research is helping them better understand the connection… Read more »
A study by a team of scientists from Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital suggests food allergies can be triggered in infants by a lack of certain gut bacteria. As well as identifying which bacteria in human subjects are key to protecting against the onset of food allergies, a subsequent mouse study revealed a specific probiotic cocktail can… Read more »
Rich Haridy June 19th, 2019 A new study from the University of Turku has uncovered interesting associations between an infant’s gut microbiome composition at the age of 10 weeks, and the development of certain temperament traits at six months age. The research does not imply causation but instead adds to a compelling growing body of evidence connecting gut bacteria with… Read more »
A century ago, British scientists suggested a link between increased hygiene and allergic conditions — the first hint that our immune systems are becoming improperly “trained.” Excerpted from “An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System,” published on Tuesday by William Morrow. Should you pick your nose? Don’t laugh. Scientifically, it’s an interesting question. Should your children pick… Read more »