Meet The Microbiologist - The Scientists Behind The Microbiology

In this episode, I speak to Rob Knight, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Knight studies our inner ecology: the 100 trillion microbes that grow in and on our bodies. Knight explained how hundreds of species can coexist on the palm of your hand, how bacteria manipulate your immune system and maybe even your brain, and how obesity and other health problems may come down to the wrong balance of microbes. Links to studies mentioned in this episode: Ruth Ley and Peter Turnbaugh's studies on obesity in Jeff Gordon's lab: Obesity alters gut microbial ecology. Microbial ecology: human gut microbes associated with obesity. An obesity-associated gut microbiome with increased capacity for energy harvest. A core gut microbiome in obese and lean twins. Julie Segre's studies of the skin: A diversity profile of the human skin microbiota. Topographical and temporal diversity of the human skin microbiome. Chris Lauber and Elizabeth Costello's s