Humans & the Microbiome
How do microbes that live in and on us affect our health, development and even behaviour?
Micro-organisms cover our skin and fill our guts. These bacteria, viruses, and fungi — collectively called the human microbiome — have significant impact on human health. This program brings together anthropologists, biologists, and other scholars to address questions about the microbiome’s impact on human health and development, and how it is affected by individual and societal behaviour.
IMPACT CLUSTERS
The Humans & the Microbiome program is part of the following CIFAR Impact Clusters: Nurturing a Resilient Earth and Shaping the Future of Human Health . CIFAR’s research programs are organized into 5 distinct Impact Clusters that address significant global issues and are committed to fostering an environment in which breakthroughs emerge.
RESEARCH AND SOCIETAL IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
Tracking perception of the human microbiome
Through ethnographic and semi-structured interviews with adults in the United States,
CIFAR program Fellow Melissa Melby (University of Delaware) and Advisor Mark Nichter (University of Arizona) found public perception of the human microbiome centres on gut microbiome only, whereas the microbial populations of the skin, lungs and many other areas are also critically important. These findings will help inform how best to shape information about the microbiome for the public, and identify areas of further research needed.
UNDERSTANDING MILK MICROBIOME VARIATION IN BREASTMILK
Through a CIFAR Catalyst Fund project, Fellows Meghan Azad (University of Manitoba, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba) and Naama Geva-Zatorsky (Technion - Israel University of Technology) are discovering how indoor and outdoor environmental factors affect the composition of the milk microbiome. The outcomes of this project could have far-reaching implications on the habits and recommended behaviour of families, especially before delivery, and during the first months of infants’ lives as mothers’ milk affects their infants’ gut.
Path to Societal Impact
We invite experts in industry, civil society, healthcare and government to join fellows in our Humans & the Microbiome program for in-depth, cross-sectoral conversations that drive change and innovation.
Leaders from public health schools and CIFAR fellows in the Humans & the Microbiome program are working together to develop new public health curricula.
Areas of focus:
- Integrating emerging evidence from microbiome research into health systems
- Developing microbiome-based public health curriculum materials that enhance public health messages
Founded
2014
Renewal Dates
2020
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Microbiology
Developmental, evolutionary and stem cell biology
Bacteriology
Immunology
Anthropology
Biochemistry
Public Health
History
Neuroscience
Philosophy
CIFAR Contact
Fellows & Advisors
Program Directors
Karen Guillemin
Program Co-Director
Jamie Lorimer
Program Co-Director
Fellows
Katherine R. Amato
Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018
Meghan Azad
Fellow
Thomas Bosch
Fellow
Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello
Fellow
Eran Elinav
Fellow
B. Brett Finlay
Fellow
Naama Geva-Zatorsky
Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2018-2020
Tamara Giles-Vernick
Fellow
Philippe Gros
Fellow
Louis-Patrick Haraoui
Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Frédéric Keck
Fellow
Margaret J. McFall-Ngai
Associate Fellow
Melissa Melby
Fellow
Sven Pettersson
Fellow
Philippe J. Sansonetti
Associate Fellow
Carolina Tropini
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Alan Bernstein Fellow
Liping Zhao
Fellow
Advisors
Martin Blaser
Advisory Committee Co-Chair
Kate Brown
Advisory Committee Co-Chair
Stanislav Dusko Ehrlich
Advisor
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
Katherine R. Amato
Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018
Hiutung Chu
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Naama Geva-Zatorsky
Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2018-2020
Louis-Patrick Haraoui
Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Elizabeth Johnson
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Jean-Philippe Julien
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Tal Korem
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Alexander Kwarteng
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2017-2019
Corinne Maurice
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018
Jessica L. Metcalf
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2018-2020
Carolina Tropini
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Alan Bernstein Fellow
Eduardo A. Undurraga
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Jennifer Zenker
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Wei Zhang
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Related News
Humans & the Microbiome
Humans & the Microbiome: Educational Modules for Public Health Professionals
The human microbiome (microbes living in and on us, and their genomes) is a critical yet often overl
April 10, 2025
Brain, mind & consciousness
Bugs, Babies & Brains
What can we learn from studying bacteria in babies?
June 13, 2024
Brief
COVID and Our Children
How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the physical and mental health of children
November 10, 2021
Advances
COVID-19 may forever alter our microbiomes
The virus (and our reactions to it) affects our health through the microbiome.
January 26, 2021
Event Brief
Microbiome in Public Health: Laying a Foundation for a New Curriculum
Research on the human microbiome is disrupting our understanding of healthy development and aging.
May 04, 2020
Announcement
CIFAR completes review of four research programs
Three CIFAR research programs will be renewed and one program will be closed in 2020/21
March 26, 2020
Advances
Obesity, heart disease, and diabetes may be communicable
A new research paper proposes that “non-communicable” diseases may be transmitted through the microbiome
March 26, 2020
Health & Well-being
Understanding How the Microbiome Impacts Public Health via a Multidisciplinary Approach
An understanding of the human microbiome has a major role in an integrated approach to public health.
March 16, 2020
Advances
When antibiotics fail
An expert panel on antimicrobial resistance chaired by B. Brett Finlay releases its report
November 14, 2019
Announcement
Meet the 2019-2021 cohort of CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
Fourteen inspiring early-career researchers named across five CIFAR research programs
September 04, 2019