As scientists, we often think of bacteria as free-swimming, lone cells, growing in test tubes. Indeed, the majority of experiments are performed in this kind of environment. However, in reality, bacteria often grow in groups of cells, attached to surfaces. These cellular communities are social;... click to read more

In the same way as our genome contains the collection of all of our genes, we call microbiome the collection of microorganisms that have settled in our organism. Over the past decades, the gut microbiome, in particular, has been shown to affect our physical health:... click to read more

The American reality show "The Biggest Loser" features obese contestants that are competing for the strongest weight loss within the duration of one season of the TV series, which is rewarded with a cash prize. A wide audience has followed the show, and its concept... click to read more

The trillions of microbes that live in our gastrointestinal tract are known as the gut microbiome. It is an "acquired organ" of the body that is essential for the development of immune and metabolic systems and for nutrient digestion and absorption, among other things. As... click to read more

Clostridium difficile is a bacterium that causes hundreds of thousands of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea cases every year, and these infections often prove fatal. Usually, C. difficile is unable to cause disease as the bacterium is kept in check by the friendly bacteria in the gut; the... click to read more