Hacking the Human Microbiome

Explore the fascinating world of the human microbiome in this 41-minute conference talk from the 35th Chaos Communication Congress. Dive into the controversial discussions surrounding the diverse bacterial community living inside us and its impact on personal well-being and health. Learn about the first attempts to rationally engineer the human microbiome in medicine and the DIY biohacking scene. Discover how these endeavors could potentially affect various aspects of life, including eating habits, fitness, susceptibility to infections, aging, and cancer. Examine the ethical aspects, biosafety concerns, and data security issues related to microbiome hacking. Gain insights into the state-of-the-art research and future directions, distinguishing between science and fiction. Understand fundamental concepts such as fecal microbiome transplantations, microbiome enrichment, depletion, and targeted interventions. Explore experimental and computational methods used to study the complex interplay between bacteria and the human body. Discuss the challenges in measurement techniques, analysis pipelines, and the interpretation of data. Consider the debate surrounding the acquisition, encryption, storage, and accessibility of genetic information, including meta-genetic information of the human microbiome. Conclude with a speculative yet fact-based projection of current microbiome engineering approaches into the future.