Philippe J. Sansonetti
Professor emeritus at the Pasteur Institute and Collège de France
Building on Van Leeuwenhoek’s discovery of “animalcules”, microbiology shines a light on the fundamental role that microorganisms play in human health. Intestinal microbiota are the fruit of coevolution and play a key role in digestion, metabolism, immune function, and neural development. Axenic animals1 and gnotobiotic models2 have confirmed this mutual symbiosis and the necessity for stable microbial diversity. Modern disruptors, such as antibiotics, caesarean section births, or ultra-processed foods, trigger dysbiosis and chronic illness. Research has identified what is sometimes termed the second human genome, analyzing the resilience and robustness of microbiota. Microbial medicine now seeks to restore this symbiosis, incorporating changes in diet, probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal treatments in a systemic and ecological approach to health.
