LAUSR

As microbiome research has moved from associative to mechanistic studies, the activities of specific microbes and their products have been investigated in development of inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer, metabolic syndrome, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Findings from microbiome research have already been applied to the clinic, such as in fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. We review the evidence for associations between alterations in the intestinal microbiome and gastrointestinal diseases and findings from clinical trials of FMT. We discuss opportunities for treatment of other diseases with FMT, based on findings from small clinical and preclinical studies.