Category Archives: Microbiome

Yes, We Can Isolate Most Human Gut Microbes

Posted on May 6, 2016 by mikethemadbiologist

A long-standing canard that really bothers me is the notion that most (“99%”) human gut microbes are unculturable–that is, we can’t grow them in the lab. As I noted a long time ago, that’s not the case: This false statement … Continue reading →

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The Smartest Thing I’ve Read About the Microbiome In a Long Time

Posted on August 27, 2015 by mikethemadbiologist

Several years ago, I was part of the Human Microbiome Project, so I’m not someone who’s disgruntled that the microbiomes are getting all the money. On the other hand, that has also led me to have a very skeptical opinion … Continue reading →

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The Need to Characterize ‘Near’ Missing Diversity: A Comment on the Subway Microbiome Paper

Posted on March 4, 2015 by mikethemadbiologist

I’m a few weeks late to the subway microbiome paper which, in internet time is decades, but I’ve noticed two things are missing in the commentary. Before I get to those issues, one of the advantages of being behind the … Continue reading →

Posted in E. coli, Ecology, Microbiome | 3 Comments

All Your Microbiome Are Belong to Platypus: The Perils of Plug-and-Chug Analysis

Posted on August 31, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

By way of the Twitterz, we come across this fantastic poster (embiggened version here): To translate from Genomics, to examine the microbiome–the microorganisms that live on or in a certain habitat (e.g., your gut or skin, the surface of your … Continue reading →

Posted in Genomics, Microbiome | 5 Comments

This Is the Most Accurate Microbiome Headline Ever

Posted on December 17, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Really: They might be making you fat. Or maybe thin. Or maybe have very little effect at all. Is there a fourth choice? There endeth the snark.

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Sure, The Smithsonian Might Be Shutdown, But That’s No Reason You Can’t See the Genomics Exhibit

Posted on October 1, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

So what if you can’t get into the Smithsonian? Cuz I take pictures so you don’t have to. The Natural History Museum has a temporary exhibit, “Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code” that’s pretty good. If you’re in the genomics biz, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Cancer, Genomics, Microbiology, Microbiome, Museums etc. | Comments Off on Sure, The Smithsonian Might Be Shutdown, But That’s No Reason You Can’t See the Genomics Exhibit

McSweeney’s Inadvertently Discovers the Microbiome

Posted on June 12, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

This is snark from the satirical website McSweeney’s about the NSA, but it’s actually not bad microbiology: I can assure you, in no uncertain terms, that the NSA is not asking for samples of your fecal matter. We will not … Continue reading →

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The Hidden Value of ‘Big Science’

Posted on March 29, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Having been involved in ‘Big Science’, I think one of the things that typically goes unmentioned, but which might be the most important thing to come out of these kinds of projects is the breakthrough and improvement in technology and … Continue reading →

Posted in BRAINS! I EAT THEM!!, Microbiome | 2 Comments

Microbiome Creep, E. coli and Colorectal Cancer (Oh My!)

Posted on August 23, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

My recent snark-laden post about the microbiome was in part inspired by the coverage of this Science paper “Intestinal Inflammation Targets Cancer-Inducing Activity of the Microbiota.” Interestingly, the coverage of this paper didn’t make Jonathan Eisen happy either: Some studies … Continue reading →

Posted in E. coli, Microbiology, Microbiome, News Media | 3 Comments

Some Predictions About the Coverage of the Human Microbiome

Posted on August 20, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

In keeping with the spirit of the following tweets: …I offer some predictions about the popular media coverage of human microbiome research over the next few years: 1) Koch’s Postulates will be ‘rediscovered.’ Multiple times. 2) Methods and theories that … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Microbiome | 3 Comments