Description

One of the most striking recent advances in science is the discovery that the gut microbiota, the largest microbial community inhabiting our body, fulfills important functions for human health such as protection against infection, nutrition and regulation of our immune system. Therefore, the imbalance in the intestinal microbial community (known as “dysbiosis”) has emerged as a key player in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, ranging from cardiovascular disease and cancer to neuropathies and much more. This session will introduce the exciting field of the microbiome and will cover the role of the gut microbiota in promoting human health, how gut dysbiosis occurs, and the clinical implications of gut dysbiosis with focus in hospital acquired infections, inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer.

Learner Outcome:

• Understand the key role of the gut microbiota in health and disease and how interactions between the host and the microbiome can be modified to improve health and prevent illness.

Speaker(s):

• Mariana Byndloss, DVM, PhD, Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University Medical Center