Courtesy of American Gut
American Gut
In association with the Human Food Project, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder along with researchers at other institutions around the world are launching a new open-access project known as “American Gut” in which participants can get involved in finding out what microbes are in their own guts and what they are doing in there.
The project builds on previous efforts, including the five-year, $173-million NIH-funded Human Microbiome Project, to characterize the microbes living in and on our bodies. But unlike other projects that have focused on carefully chosen test subjects with a few hundred people, this project allows the public to get involved and is encouraging tens of thousands of people to do so.
The American Gut project is an opportunity for the citizen scientists working with a team of leading researchers and labs throughout the United States to help shape a new way of understanding how diet and lifestyle may contribute to human health through each person’s suite of trillions of tiny microbes.
Project Details
- PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Jeff Leach
- SCIENTIST AFFILIATION: founder of the Human Food Project and co-founder of American Gut
- DATES: Ongoing
- PROJECT TYPE: Fieldwork
- COST: $20-$50
- GRADE LEVEL: All Ages
- TIME COMMITMENT: Variable
- HOW TO JOIN:
Learn more about participating in or contributing to the project. For a list of additional collaborators on the project visit.
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2 Comments
Add CommentIntestinal flora man, it gives you a visceral reaction.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAn outstanding effort, wherein finally we have overcome pat wisdom, one-liners and false skepticism and are finally doing the actual science. How original and fun! As in all real science, we should be able to dispel old wives tales and find the areas in which we were wrong, and have damaged our collective health through pushing unproved misinformation. I seriously doubt that we had this all figured out in 1860.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI will be looking forward in earnest to the results of the American Gut project! Great job University of Colorado.