Africa’s largest human microbiome study sheds light on gut diversity, health

Scientists have uncovered new microbial species and previously unreported metagenomes in Africa, shedding light on the gut microbiome’s role in human health. The research, titled Expanding the Human Gut Microbiome Atlas of Africa, was published in Nature and co-authored by scientists at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Wits University.

This marks the most extensive microbiome study on the continent, with findings that could transform global health research, particularly in understanding diseases like cancer, diabetes, and obesity.