The Human Microbiome in Precision Medicine: (Way) Beyond Fecal Transplantation

R!L 218 Keynote Speaker, Joseph Petrosino, Ph.D., Interim Chair, Professor, Dept. of Microbiology and Molecular Virology, Baylor college of Medicine, and Director of the Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research

Dr. Petrosino is a nationally recognized leader in metagenomics research .  The keynote address will highlight the Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research (CMMR) at Baylor College of Medicine and its pursuit of numerous research and development efforts in the study of how the microbiome impacts human disease, including autoimmune disease, neurodevelopmental disorders, cancer, and Type 1 diabetes.  Among these efforts are the benchmarking and validation of protocols and strategies to engage large, complex cohorts and unique sample sources for metagenomic analyses.  In addition, the CMMR has made a significant investment in preclinical model systems to facilitate host-microbe studies and connect association to causality, as this is often a critical hurdle for any microbiome-based therapeutic.  Among these models are the use of germ-free rodents and physiologically active human culture systems that mimic host susceptibility and response to identify important microbe-host interactions in mucosal diseases.  By implementing 'omics-based approaches with these translational models, we are beginning to reveal host responses to microbial colonization and infection which can inform precision medicine-based targets for the detection and treatment of disease.