Canadian Microbiome Mapping Initiative

The microbiome consists of the trillions of microorganisms that live on and within humans. Within the broader field of the microbiome, the gut microbiome is the most studied in the context of human health, as it is the largest and most diverse microbiome in the human body.

The role of the gut microbiome in many noncommunicable diseases is, in part, due to its ability to make signaling molecules and metabolites of microbial origin that affect distant organs, such as the brain, orchestrating a wide variety of physiological responses.

Through these widespread effects on the body, the gut microbiome appears to play a role in many conditions, including asthma and allergies, obesity, cardiovascular disease, autism, inflammatory bowel disease, and neurodegenerative diseases.