The human body is home to about 100 trillion microorganisms. The vast majority of these live in the gastrointestinal tract where they're referred to as the "gut microbiome." Here they break down and metabolize food, synthesize vitamins and begin hormone regulation. But in recent years, scientists have found evidence that beyond digestion, the gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in immunity, the development of diseases, athletic performance and even mental health.
So hop on! Our June newsletter is taking us into the human stomach and colon to explore the world of the gut microbiome. We'll hear about research projects exploring how the microbiome changes after a stroke and what the connection is between the gut and depression. If you want to find out the composition of your own microbiome, we've got the startup for you. In our interview we chat with a computational biologist investigating the connection between the gut microbiome and cardiovascular disease. We also offer a special feature on how to safely vacation during COVID-19 and introduce a new project putting a spotlight on the diversity that exists in the German research and innovation scenes.
After more than three months at home, people are eager to get back to some semblance of normal life and to enjoy their summers, but experts and data show us we must be cautious when traveling.
Keep reading.
Dr. Sofia Forslund studies cardiovascular disease at the Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine by analyzing data on the gut microbiome. Find out about the gut-heart connection, what makes a healthy microbiome, fecal microbiome transplants and more in our interview with her.
Researchers at the Center for Stroke Research at Charité Berlin are investigating three hypotheses about the effects of stroke on the gut microbiome. C
heck out their findings.
A new research review suggests better understanding the gastrointestinal microbiome may help psychiatrists treat mental health disorders such as depression.Read on.
Ready to put your new knowledge about the gut microbiome to the test? Get a profile of your own gut flora using the German startup Biomes's at-home test kit.Learn more.
Black Germans, those with immigration backgrounds, LGBT folk, the disabled and women are making significant contributions to German research and innovation that we want to make visible. Check out our campaign on Twitter highlighting the diversity of the German science and tech scenes.
