Infant microbiome

Barbara Warner, M.D., discusses her research on infant gut microbiomes during this November 2017 webinar.

The microbial organisms in our intestines (the gut microbiome) are in a symbiotic relationship with the human host. There is no time more critical in that relationship than in early infancy, when we move from a sterile or relatively sterile gut to a diverse community. Early interactions affect long-term immune responses, as well as short-term health and disease. This is most evident in our preterm population who exhibit a dysbiotic gut microbiome, contributing to common morbidities. Understanding the contributors to that microbial community have important implications for child health.