Environmental Chemicals, the Human Microbiome, and Health Risk : A Research Strategy

A great number of diverse microorganisms inhabit the human body and are collectively referred to as the human microbiome. Until recently, the role of the human microbiome in maintaining human health was not fully appreciated. Today, however, research is beginning to elucidate associations between perturbations in the human microbiome and human disease and the factors that might be responsible for the perturbations. Studies have indicated that the human microbiome could be affected by environmental chemicals or could modulate exposure to environmental chemicals. Environmental Chemicals, the Human Microbiome, and Health Risk presents a research strategy to improve our understanding of the interactions between environmental chemicals and the human microbiome and the implications of those interactions for human health risk. This report identifies barriers to such research and opportunities for collaboration, highlights key aspects of the human microbiome and its relation to health, describes potential interactions between environmental chemicals and the human microbiome, reviews the risk-assessment framework and reasons for incorporating chemical–microbiome interactions. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Microbiome Variation3 Characterizing Interactions Between the Human Microbiome and Environmental Chemicals4 Current Methods for Studying the Human Microbiome5 Risk Assessment: Incorporating ChemicalMicrobiome Interactions6 Research StrategyAppendix: Biographic Information on the Committee on Advancing Understanding of the Implications of Environmental-Chemical Interactions with the Human Microbiome