Biomes

Even though the microbiome field is very exciting, it is also unfortunately full of plenty of myths and hyperbole. It is important that we discuss these myths. In Episode 6, I speak to the two best Microbiome Myth Busters in the world, who take us through the inaccuracies that are prevalent in discourse about human microbiomes and why these can be detrimental for science and medicine.

Ultra-processed foods contain lots of additives to help with their shelf life. Emulsifiers are one type of additive included within many ultra-processed foods such as mayonnaise, chocolate, ice-cream etc. However, new research suggests that these emulsifiers may have a detrimental effect on the gut lining and the gut microbiome.

Increasingly, dietary sugar is being replaced by non-caloric sweeteners in our diets. But what effects do these sweeteners have on our health? Only last year, the World Health Organisation categorized the sweetener aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans", yet lots of evidence suggest that sweeteners are beneficial for weight loss and blood sugar control if they replace high sugar intakes. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Jotham Suez who has conducted some ground-breaking research on the effect of non-caloric sweeteners on the gut microbiome and the potential detrimental effects this may have on metabolic health. The Biomes Podcast is sponsored by Microbiome Insights, who provide end-to-end microbiome research services. Find out more at www.microbiomeinsights.com

Infectious diseases have largely been replaced by chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer in the Western world. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that humans are still at significant risk from microbial-diseases. In this episode, Dr. Ruairi Robertson speaks with Prof. Brett Finlay from University of British Columbia, one of the world’s leading experts on infectious diseases. Prof. Finlay discusses his career studying infectious microbes and how this led him to shift focus to all of the other microbes in our body. He discusses the influence of the gut microbiome on infection susceptibility, fulfilling Koch’s postulates for the gut microbiome and the influence of early life gut microbes on ‘modern plagues’ such as asthma and allergies. Prof. Finlay is one of the scientific co-founders of Microbiome Insights along with Dr. Bill Mohn. Between them, they have published more than 600 peer reviewed papers and they provide key scientific guidance to the Microbiome Insights team. Find out more at www.microbiomeinsights.com.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers and cancer deaths worldwide and its rates are increasing in many countries around the world, especially in younger adults. Emerging evidence points to a role of certain gut microbes in the progression of colorectal cancer by acting as toxins to gut cells. On the other hand, other microbes have been identified as potentially protective against colorectal cancer. In this episode of Biomes, Dr. Ruairi Robertson speaks with Prof. Wendy Garrett of Harvard University. Prof. Garrett is a leading doctor and researcher in the field of the colorectal cancer and the gut microbiome. Her work has shown exciting links between microbes originating in the mouth and how they may contribute to cancer when they travel down to the gut. Prof. Garrett discusses this research and future potential of targeting the gut microbiome as an adjunctive therapy for colorectal cancer. Microbiome Insights has partnered with some of World's leading cancer research institutes, helping researchers incorporate microbiome sequencing and analysis to their clinical studies. Find out more at www.microbiomeinsights.com.

Did you know that humans emit about 37 million bacteria every hour? Your entire surroundings, from the air you breathe to the walls of your house, are populated by a vast mixture of microbes. But to what extent to these microbes colonize you and affect your health? In this episode, Dr. Ruairi Robertson speaks with Prof. Jack Gilbert about the microbes in our environment and how they interact with humans. Prof. Gilbert is the Charles Darwin of the microbiome field, studying microbes all over the world from Antarctic lakes to volcanoes to the international space station. His research has uncovered the interactions between the macro and micro worlds that we live in and how we must approach our surrounding microbial environments in the future from homes to hospitals and space stations. Biomes Season 2 is being produced in conjunction with Microbiome Insights (www.microbiomeinsights.com) who provide end-to-end services for everyone looking to include microbiome analyses in their studies.

In this final episode of the series, I speak to Prof. Susan Lynch from University of California San Francisco. We discuss the hygiene hypothesis, which suggests that early life exposure to infections may protect against allergy and asthma, and how this may be relevant to the early life gut microbiome.

In this episode I speak to Dr. Lindsay Hall to studies the gut microbiomes of babies. She examines how preterm babies are more prone to infections and how we may be able to optimise their gut microbes in order to prevent and fight infections. We discuss the details of babies' immune systems, gut microbes and the new controversial method of 'vaginal seeding' during C-section births.

In this episode of Biomes, I speak with Professor Gregor Reid of the the University of Western Ontario and the Lawson Health Research Institute, one of the foremost researchers on probiotics. We discuss his research into UTIs, preterm birth, probiotic controversies and the future of beneficial microbes to fight disease.

Welcome to the Biomes Podcast! As a human being, you are not a single organism but a thriving ecosystem home to trillions of invisible, living microbes. These microbial jungles within you and upon you are critical for your health and survival and may influence everything from your risk of cancer to your sexual attractiveness. In this introductory episode, I introduce myself, the microbiome and this podcast. Enjoy!