Health and Our Microbiome
Humans are just a speck in a massively bacterial world.
Living in and on us, microbes make up 70 to 90 percent of all cells in our bodies—our microbiome—and our health depends upon them. What makes some of these bacteria benign and others cause disease, like antibiotic-resistant superbugs? What are the health effects of antibiotic overuse, and how can we restore depleted microbiomes? What can we learn from sequencing the DNA of these extraordinarily diverse ecosystems, and from the microorganism communities around us—our macrobiomes? The answers have fascinating and critically important implications for how we track pathogens, prevent disease, and stay healthy.
Video
SciCafe: The Power of Poop
Are fecal transplants the future of treating certain life-threatening diseases?
Article
Microbiome Monday: The Ecology of a Killer Microbe
Microbiome Monday is back as our curators explore the ecology and life cycle of the killer microbe Legionella.
September 14, 2015
Article
The Ecosystem In Your Belly Button
Human navels host a diverse ecosystem of bacteria, with some species unique to individuals.
September 25, 2015
Video
Microbes of New York
Meet some of the microbes that call the city home.
Video
SciCafe: Microbes in the House
Recent discoveries from the invisible world of the microbiome.
Article
Meet Your Microbiome
Explore how changes in the human microbiome may be contributing to an increase in obesity and other chronic conditions.
Exhibition
The Secret World Inside You
Explore the human microbiome and find out how rapidly evolving science is reshaping our ideas about human health.
November 7, 2015 — August 14, 2016
Article
Microbiome Monday: The Microbiome of the World
An initial sampling period conducted at the Museum this summer has provided the Healthy Human Microbiome Project with microbiome...
July 18, 2016
Blog Post
Microbiome Monday: The Top Three Questions from Visitors
A presenter from the exhibition The Secret World Inside You shares—and answers—the most common questions.
March 7, 2016
Blog Post
Q&A: Mapping the Urban Microbiome
What does the genetic fingerprint of New York City look like? Microbiome researcher Chris Mason, who recently gave a talk at SciCafe,...
March 5, 2015
Article
Welcome to Microbiome Mondays!
NYU’s Dr. Martin Blaser kicks off our new weekly series in the run-up to the special exhibition The Secret World Inside You.
August 24, 2015
Game
Bacteria in the Cafeteria Game
Some microbes make us sick. Most are helpful. Play this game to find out more about them.
Article
The Poop Cure
Using Fecal Microbiota Transplantation to fight disease in the gut.
Teaching Case
Bacteria Evolving: Tracing the Origins of a MRSA Epidemic
These teaching case materials show practicing physicians and infectious disease specialists studying the origins and impacts of pathogens.
Article
Microbiome Monday: How Do We Build Our Microbiomes?
Dr. Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello discusses how modern Western lifestyles affect the development of our microbiomes.
August 31, 2015
Video
Ask a Scientist About Microbes
In these videos, microbiologist Susan Perkins answers kids’ questions about microbes.
Blog Post
The Microbiome of Home
Explore the unique populations of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that inhabit different rooms in your home.
June 15, 2016
Game
How Lou Got the Flu
How can the influenza virus travel around the world? Find out in this quizzy story!
This project is supported by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).