You, your poop, and the world: The Microsetta Initiative

Daniel McDonald - University of California San Diego

Sept. 19, 2024, 10 a.m. - Sept. 19, 2024, 11 a.m.

McIntyre Building Room 519

Hosted by: Jerome Waldispuhl

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Populations differ in host genetics, diet, lifestyle and environment. Within that background, unattributed factors drive variation in the gut microbiome. Here, we bring together data from The Microsetta Initiative, a multinational citizen science driven microbiome research project samples from over 30,000 participants collected over the past decade. Specifically, we consider the microbiome from a technical perspective, and through self-reported health, diet and lifestyle data from participants. Next, we integrate a specific international cohort within the Microsetta, called The Human Diet and Microbiome Initiative, and contrast population level data using sensitive techniques developed recently for the peer-reviewed defense of TCGA cancer microbiome signatures. We then switch focus to the 60 plant smoothie vignette from the Netflix Hack Your Health documentary, and examine context, clinical markers and the actual Microsetta data presented in the film. Finally, we close with the future of The Microsetta Initiative, both with how formal research projects, as well as individuals, can utilize the platform.

Daniel McDonald, Scientific Director, oversees the scientific program of The Microsetta Initiative / the American Gut Project. Daniel holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He specializes as a developer using popular microbiome software packages such as QIIME 2.