The Human Microbiome – Nobel laureate Joshua Lederberg described in 2001, when the study of the microbiome was in its infancy, as “the ecological community of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms that literally share our body space and have been all but ignored as determinants of health and disease.”
So, the Human Microbiota is the combination of all the microorganisms that inhabit our body, namely bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists and viruses (phages). They have an important role in how we function and there are many fascinating studies both past and ongoing with remarkable results both to improve our health and to prevent and cure illness.
The Human Microbiome is the genomes of all these resident microorganisms. Recent advances in DNA-based analysis through RNA, protein and metagenomic studies have enabled us to isolate and understand these species and their numerous strains better and hence how they influence and affect our bodies. Although there are thousands of different species of bacteria in or on our body, generally each strain is unique to a specific individual.