In our gut system, over one thousand trillion microbes cohabit within ourselves. How do they interact with us? What factors affect the structure of this microbial community? How do they influence on our health?

　Dr. Jeffrey I. Gordon, the Director of Center for Genome Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine, has been a world-wide leading figure in the field of microbial research for decades, focusing on the interaction between hosts and gut microbes. “The question of how microbes interact with hosts to promote well-being is the theme of life on the planet because this is a microbe-dominated biosphere, and eukaryotes came into this world of ours after microbes.” said Dr. Gordon.

　Through a series of his exciting researches, Dr. Gordon and his colleagues have elegantly employed cutting-edge DNA sequencing technologies (metegenomics) and germ-free mice to unveil the mutual relationship between microbes and mammals. In 2006, Dr. Gordon published a landmark paper demonstrating the interesting relationship between gut microbiota and adiposity (Turnbaugh, P. J. et al.: Nature, 444 : 1027-1031, 2006.)

　In this interview, Dr. Gordon talks about his enthusiasm on microbial research, the “marriage” of two different research strategies, comparative metagenomics methods and gnotobiotics, and recent world-wide collaboration in Human Microbiome Projects. Dr. Gordon has also mentored many young scientists who are now running their own labs in many different institutions. Dr. Gordon further tells us what makes his lab as the birthplace for innovation.