12th Loeffler Lecture in Greifswald: Is the composition of the microbiome inherited?

Isle of Riems, 19 June2024: The microbiome, i.e. all microorganisms that naturally colonise a living organism, contributes significantly to the health of humans and animals. In recent years, research has focused on whether the composition of the human microbiome is heritable, with conflicting results. In pigs, however, a study has shown for the first time that a specific gene variant in the well-known AB0 blood group system does indeed affect the gut microbiome. Professor Michel Georges will present the study and its results, which have also been published in the prestigious journal Nature, at the 12th Loeffler Lecture at the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg in Greifswald on 27 June. With this Loeffler Lecture, the series of events, which previously focused on research topics in infectious medicine, is expanding its spectrum to include the interaction between microbes and hosts. "We are all learning more and more about the influence that primarily non-pathogenic microorganisms have on the health of humans and animals. Modern methods of functional genome analysis also allow us to focus on the role of host genetic diversity," says FLI President Prof Dr Christa Kühn.