Courses

The microbes that live on and in us are collectively known as the microbiota. Studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiota exert a strong influence over our health. In particular, the bacteria residing in our digestive tract can influence a spectrum of diseases. An unhealthy lifestyle, especially a poor diet, is a key factor contributing to the types of gut bacteria that promote diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, depression, and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Recent discoveries show that gut microbiota can be modulated by lifestyle choices and that healthy and unhealthy populations of bacteria can be predicted based on specific lifestyle patterns. In this course, students will be introduced to the key microbiota that have a profound influence on our health. We will explore how they exert this influence and what lifestyle factors contribute to healthy and unhealthy gut microbiota populations. The course emphasis is on the role of diet in influencing the gut microbiota and our overall health. However, we will also explore other lifestyle factors, such as exercise, sleep, and stress, and how they can modulate gut bacteria.