The Human Mycobiome: Research Frontiers

The Human Mycobiome: Research Frontiers introduces the fungal communities that live on the skin, in the gut and in the respiratory tract. Students learn what the mycobiome is, how it differs between body sites and why it is much less abundant and less studied than the bacterial microbiome. The course explains the methods used to profile fungal communities, from culture to amplicon sequencing and metagenomics, and explores interactions with bacteria and the immune system as well as reported associations with disease.

Mycobiome science is young, and many findings are associations rather than established causes. The course emphasises careful study design and honest interpretation, and makes no therapeutic claims. It suits researchers, clinicians in training and life-science graduates who want to engage with the field. Tutors are active mycobiome researchers. For the final project, students design a mycobiome study protocol addressing one open question, including sampling, controls, sequencing strategy, bioinformatics approach and the limitations of the chosen design.