In this podcast, Andres M. Gomez, University of Minnesota, discusses his research in the area of microbiomics.

Gomez talks in detail about his field of microbiomics. As he explains, within microbiomics they use many and various techniques to study microbes—how microbiomes function, and how they interact and exist in their environments. His lab focuses on determining factors that play a part in the composition and function/processes of the microbiomes of animals and humans. The lab uses metagenomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, machine learning and more.

Gomez discusses fatty acids and how they are produced as he explains the microbiome and the complex activities taking place there. Microbiome research can deliver valuable information about microbial communities, their environments and critical changes that can take place within the environments.

The microbiomics expert talks about information released recently regarding a few case studies of fecal transplantation therapy, which is the transfer of stool into a recipient for treatment purposes. Gomez seeks to fully understand, through extensive research, all of these issues, and the discoveries they make just might provide critical insight into the human microbiome and how it affects our health, and what role it plays in the development of the disease.