Microbiomes: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

The term  'microbiomes' encapsulates an important scientific breakthrough of  recent years. This is the realization that humans, other animals, and  plants harbour communities of microorganisms which are mostly beneficial  but can occasionally cause or exacerbate disease. Our quickly  developing understanding of microbiomes is being translated into novel  microbial therapies for human disease and is contributing to sustainable  practices in agriculture and food production. On the flipside, there is  a growing concern that some claims for microbiomes, especially in  relation to human health, far exceed the scientific data.

This  Very Short Introduction is an essential guide to the fast-moving  discipline of microbiome science. It accessibly distills the key facts  about our resident microbiomes, explains how and why our health and  wellbeing depend on them, and provides readers with the fundamental  knowledge they need to judge the reliability of claims about  microbiome-based applications.