Free online course launched to provide better understanding of the human microbiome

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Sep 16 2020

A new, free, online course is being launched to help you discover more about the microbiome and its links to health throughout our lives.

‘The Human Microbiome’ course runs over three weeks, starting on 30^th November 2020. It will introduce the human microbiome and explain how this population of microbes that live in our body affects our health. During the course you’ll learn how the composition of the microbiome changes as we age, and also how we can use diet to modulate the microbiome to combat diseases.

The course, funded by EITFood, is delivered through the FutureLearn platform and has been developed by academics and health professionals from the University of Turin, Quadram Institute, the University of Reading, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Microbion.

Anyone with an interest in the microbiome, food and nutrition, or with a general interest in human health and ageing will find this course of interest.

Sign up by 30^th November at https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/the-human-microbiome

Quadram Institute researchers are among those who have contributed their expertise ensuring the science discussed is at the cutting edge of our understanding of the microbiome.

Dr Maria Traka from the Quadram Institute is Deputy Head of UK Food Databanks and a Group Leader in Diet and Health, studying the role of diet in preventing disease, and the interplay of nutrition with the gut microbiome.

This course provides an excellent way for anyone interested in food and health to understand the vital role of the human microbiome in keeping us well” said Dr Traka. “I hope the insights that we’ve been able to provide to the course from our research give a useful and interesting insight into what we are learning about the microbes in our gut.”

Dr Maria Traka, Quadram Institute

Alongside Dr Traka, the QI team of content contributors include Prof. Simon Carding, Dr Cathrina Edwards, Dr Lindsay Hall, Dr Brittany Hazard, Dr Paul Kroon, Prof. Arjan Narbad, Barbora Nemeckova, Jenny Plumb and Prof. Pete Wilde.

This activity has received funding from EIT Food, the innovation community on Food of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the EU, under the Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.