Paediatrician's perspective of infant gut microbiome research: current status and challenges.

Paul MacDaragh Ryan, Catherine Stanton, R Paul Ross, Alan L Kelly, Eugene Dempsey, C Anthony Ryan

Journal: Archives of disease in childhood 2020;104(7):701-705

PMID: 31113768

Abstract

Due to its innately intriguing nature and recent genomic technological advances, gut microbiome research has been at the epicentre of medical research for over a decade now. Despite the degree of publicisation, a comprehensive understanding and, therefore, acceptance of the area as a whole may be somewhat lacking within the broader medical community. This paper summarises the main analytical techniques and tools currently applied to compositional microbiome research. In addition, we outline five major lessons learnt from a decade of infant microbiome research, along with the current research gaps. Finally, we aim to provide an introduction and general guidelines relating to infant gut microbiome research for the practising paediatrician.

Address: School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.; School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.; Department of Neonatology, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Cork, Ireland.

DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-316891

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MeSH Terms: Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Pediatricians, Research Design