Background:
NIH’s Human Microbiome Project revolutionized our understanding of microbes in our bodies. Beyond pathogens and drug-resistant superbugs, we now realize that there are many beneficial microbes that live in or on us, and it is these native ‘commensal’ microbes that drive much of what we think of as being human. Specifically, there are more microbial cells than human cells in our body (and 100 times more microbial genes!), and this collection of microbes – your microbiome – is increasingly being recognized to control our food cravings, obesity, behavior, aging, and susceptibility to disease.
The call:
The NIH is about to launch the Human Virome Program, a very well-funded Common Fund program, to create “Virome Collaboration Centers” that will focus on 3 aspects of the human virome:
1. Tools and technologies
2. Longitudinal cohorts
3. Functional studies
OSU’s differentiators:
OSU’s Center of Microbiome Science has helped build a Microbiome Platform that sets OSU up to lead in this space – we can power world-leading “microbiome” and “virome” in your medical research programs.
The Center of Microbiome Science will be leading 2 sessions for discussion on OSU strategy towards this Common Fund opportunity on Aug 14th and 15th. Please join us and/or send your thought leaders to do so!
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