Spring Conference : Gut Microbiome and Health

The gastrointestinal tract is amongst the most densely populated ecosystems on earth, home to an abundant and diverse collection of microbial species, not just bacteria but also Archaea, viruses, fungi etc. Significant interest in this area has been sparked in recent years by an appreciation of the importance of the gut microbiota in the health of the host, and this has led to the microbiome of humans and animals being investigated in depth. Studies have drawn links between host nutrition, the gut microbiota and metabolic and immune functions, which in consequence affect physiology.