The Human Gut-Microbiome promises to open new paths to interventions and treatments for several conditions and disease areas.

Biomedical research and innovation on the human gut-microbiome are increasingly focused on relationships between this ‘new organ’ and the brain, lungs, and immune system. Research and innovation in this area make new demands on regulatory frameworks; and have profound social, ethical, and cultural implications. Effective interventions require attention to all of these factors alongside the progress of biomedical R&D.

The aim of this project is to scope what are the most prominent regulatory, social, ethical and cultural factors of human gut-mcrobiome research and innovation. Our project aims to hear from a broad range of stakeholders involved in and affected by new developments in this area, in order to gather views from different perspectives regarding how the current interest in the human gut-microbiome can be harnessed for the greatest benefits across the globe.

The project is led by Annamaria Carusi (Interchange Research), Laura Viviani (SCiETHiQ), and Marco Straccia (FRE-SCI), joined by Maca Maca Gomez-Gutierrez, and Lorenzo Del Pace.