Texas A&M collaborating on American Gut project

[TexasTowelie]

[font color=maroon]Insert Aggie joke here.[/font]

Ever wondered who's living in your gut, and what they're doing? Trillions of microorganisms in our bodies do important jobs, from chewing up the food we eat to boosting the immune system.

Researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and other institutions around the world are collaborating on a project where everyone is encouraged to participate and find out what type of microbiome, or bacteria, are in their gut.

The American Gut project, led by the Human Food Project, builds on the work of previous studies, and provides a way for the general public, their kids and pets to participate.

"This is an important study that revolves around everyone participating," said Jan Suchodolski, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine. "Unlike previous projects, anyone can participate, allowing us to examine the microbiome from a wide variety of people and develop an understanding of how diet and lifestyle affect microbes."

More at http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/article_23447564-1ed9-53a9-92d8-9c4d7140aa02.html

[font color=maroon]Insert another Aggie joke here.[/font]

[font color=green]I hope that this research provides value. After all, we are what we eat![/font]

[Ilsa]

1. I think there is still alot to be learned

from studying the gut. Everything from developing intolerances (or tolerances) to food groups (diary, gluten, etc) to immune system health, absorption of nutrients, especially the impact at different developmental levels.