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Microbes and Me

An exhibition about the microbes that live on YOU.

Most members of the general public know little about the microbial world and have a very distorted view of our relationship with microbes. Hence, most people regard bacteria as being the causative agents of disease and mass advertising encourages them to eliminate them from the environment – the achievement of a germ-free home is portrayed as an important goal for any self-respecting mother.

However, what is not generally appreciated is that Homo sapiens is a symbiotic association of mammalian and microbial cells with the latter (the indigenous microbiota) outnumbering the former by a factor of ten. The indigenous microbiota is highly diverse and consists of more than 2,000 different species which are organised into a variety of communities whose composition varies with the anatomical site.

Although some species are able to cause disease, our microbial symbionts collectively exert a number of beneficial effects. Hence they protect us against exogenous pathogens, provide upto 10% of our energy requirements, supply a range of vitamins and play a key role in the development of our immune system and mucosal surfaces.

Few people are aware of the importance of our indigenous microbiota and, because the populist view is “all microbes are dangerous and must be eliminated”, it is important that this distorted view of microbes is corrected. The main objective of the project is to inform the general public of the existence of our indigenous microbiota. By using modern exhibition techniques, talks and seminars we intend to: (i) introduce to the general public the concept that a human being is a symbiosis of mammalian and microbial cells (ii) provide new insights into the nature of the microbial communities that reside on our bodies, (iii) explain how the anatomical site governs the composition of the microbial community residing there (iv) describe what benefits these microbial communities confer on humans.

The first event to host the exhibition will be the Cheltenham Science Festival in June 2009. Professor Wilson will also be giving a talk about the Indigenous Microbiota of Humans at the festival.

The project is funded by a “People Award” from the Wellcome Trust and involves the following: Prof Michael Wilson (UCL) Dr Mark Lythgoe (UCL) Prof David Becker (UCL) Dr Ben Martynoga (NIMR) Dr Derren Ready (UCL) Ms Maria Blyzinsky (The Exhibitions Team) Ms Sian Flynn (The Exhibitions Team) Ms Kristen Lippincott (The Exhibitions Team) Ms Ana Maria Harbottle (The Exhibitions Team)

Contact details:

http://www.eastman.ucl.ac.uk/research/staff/michael_wilson/index.html

r.senaratna@eastman.ucl.ac.uk