Dear Colleagues,

The human intestinal microbiota is a complex microbial community that has about 10¹³ to 10¹⁴ microorganisms residing in the intestinal mucosa. This large microbial community forms a symbiotic relationship with the human body and plays various essential roles in food digestion and epithelial homeostasis of the host. The composition of the adult gut microbiome is highly dynamic and can respond to environmental stimuli such as changes in diet and antibiotic treatment. As such, the human gut microbiome has been associated with a wide array of diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), obesity, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. For example, dysbiosis or an imbalance of the gut microbiome has been implicated in the pathogenesis of IBD. However, the actual cause-effect relationship between dysbiosis and IBD has not been well established.

Despite the recent great interest in investigating gut microbiota in clinical studies and animal models, critical knowledge gaps still exist in understanding the structure and function of the gut microbiome and how they impact human health and disease. This Special Issue seeks reviews and original manuscripts covering the role of gut microbiome, microbiome-host interactions, and how these interactions affect health outcomes.

Prof. Ru Chen
Guest Editor