Cornell Researchers Identify Gut Microbes that May Help Some People Remain Thin; Findings Could Result in Clinical Laboratory Tests to Analyze the Microbiomes of Individuals
Additional studies are needed before medical laboratory tests for ‘lean’ microbes can be developed for use by physicians treating overweight and obese patients
Researchers at Cornell University have identified a family of microbes that may provide a genetic explanation for why some people are able to stay thin. If their findings are validated, a clinical laboratory test for these bacteria, and a macrobotic regiment to help people lose weight or stay lean, could be down the road.
Emerging Field Involving the Human Microbiome
The Cornell study was published in November 2014 in the journal Cell. It spotlights one bacterial taxon, the family Christensenellaceae, which was only named in 2012. That makes it a relatively new subject for researchers in the booming human microbiome sector.
Ruth Ley, Ph.D., is a Cornell University Associate Professor of Microbiology, and the research paper’s senior author. She believes the new Cornell study makes clear the connection between the human genotype and health-associated gut bacteria. (more…)
