Can we use bugs as drugs? by Professor Emma Allen-Vercoe, Dept of Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Guleph Conference

Her question to us, I presume was rhetorical, “What is your microbiome and why is it so important?” - Human health depends on microbiota health. We are super organisms of human and microbial cells. We exist on a delicate balance. There is more bacteria living in your gut than there are people on the planet. The human microbiome project indicates the human boy has 100 trillion. How human are we? reference human - .70 Kilograms, 20-30 years old, 1.7 meters tall. - 30 trillion human cells; 39 trillion bacterial cells. A very healthy sample of the population. Bacterial cells are much smaller than human cells. Like a finger print you also have a poo (feces) print. Biodiversity in the gut is important. High diversity of species: - robust ecosystem - balance - functional redundancy - - high gene count - Resistant to damage. The bacterial community in your gut remains stable from weaning to old age. Older - immune system is effected. What do microbes do for us? - regulate the immune system - helps to extract energy from foods, controls potential pathogens - makes some essential metabolites including vitamins and cofactors - improves intestinal function - removes toxins and carcinogens - as important as a liver. How can lifestyle impact? answer will be provided next week.. To be continued next week. I wish you all a wonderful weekend. It has been busy with work and play and paper war. This November I have to submit all my hours to my college of the work I have done. I also want to take a mini vacation. I will have to skip one conference I really wanted to attend regarding couple therapy but hopefully I can see it on the web when I return. I require 20 education hours a year but I am sure I surpass that every year. I have made my holiday a priority this time. Of course I shall tell you about that. It will be in the States. I do love it there and it is so close. Til next week… I thank you for reading my blogs. If you ever have a question do not hesitate to ask. Any errors that may exist are my own and never the speakers. I have big shoulders.