fashion

We never walk alone. Across the landscape of our bodies, trillions of microbes accompany us on the journey of life, some of them riding it out in the body’s soft bits from first to dying breath.

A decade or so ago, the human microbiome was a revolutionary concept. Its unknown links to disease intrigued researchers across the globe. Now, some microbiome researchers are trying to usher in a new phase, in which modern tools and analytical approaches can show the connection between microbes and disease, and edge the field closer to potential treatments.

advertisement

In the early days of this work, and still today, many findings were about correlations: a certain bug was found in a person with a specific illness. The effort now is to prove causation — which microbes could be directly responsible for the onset or progression of diseases. In the past week alone, three papers published in scientific journals have drawn links between microbiome residents and chronic diseases.

Get unlimited access to award-winning journalism and exclusive events.