Human Microbiome Project

Human Microbiome Project

The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) was a United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative with the goal of identifying and characterizing the microorganisms which are found in association with both healthy and diseased humans (the human microbiome). Launched in 2007, it was a five-year project, parallel to the Human Genome Project, to understand the microbial components of the human genetic and metabolic landscape and how they contribute to normal physiology and predisposition to disease.

Overview

The human body is home to a large number of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, outnumbering human cells by a ratio of about 10:1. These microorganisms exist in complex communities within different parts of the body, such as the skin, mouth, gut, and vagina. The HMP aimed to catalog these microorganisms and analyze their roles in human health and disease.

Goals

The primary goals of the Human Microbiome Project were to:

• Characterize the microbial communities found at several different sites on the human body, including nasal passages, oral cavity, skin, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract.
• Analyze the role of these microorganisms in human health and disease.
• Develop new technological and bioinformatic tools to support microbiome research.
• Address the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human microbiome research.

Methods

The HMP used a variety of high-throughput sequencing technologies, including 16S rRNA sequencing for bacterial identification and whole-genome shotgun sequencing to capture the entire genetic content of microbial communities. Bioinformatic tools were essential for analyzing the massive datasets generated, helping to identify microbial species, understand their functional capabilities, and predict their metabolic pathways.

Findings

The HMP has significantly advanced our understanding of the human microbiome. Key findings include:

• The identification of thousands of new microbial species associated with humans.
• Evidence that the human microbiome may play a more significant role in disease than previously thought, including in conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.
• The realization that the microbiome is dynamic and can change in response to factors such as diet, disease, and antibiotic use.

Impact

The Human Microbiome Project has laid the foundation for further research into the human microbiome and its effects on health and disease. It has opened new avenues for the development of diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive strategies that target the microbiome. Moreover, it has highlighted the importance of considering the microbiome in the design and interpretation of biomedical research.

See also

• Microbiota
• Gut flora
• Metagenomics
• Probiotics