Microbiomes are the communities of microorganisms that live on or in people, plants, soil, oceans, and the atmosphere. Microbiomes maintain healthy function of these diverse ecosystems, influencing human health, climate change, food security, and other factors. Although new technologies have enabled exciting discoveries about the importance of microbiomes, scientists still lack the knowledge and tools to manage microbiomes in a manner that prevents dysfunction or restores healthy function.
WID researchers are engaged in diverse microbiome projects like linking gut microbes to Alzheimers Disease and gene expression, understanding the implications of microbial diversity, and discovering new antibiotics.
The UW-Campus Microbiome Portal is a component of WID’s Multi-Omics Hub.