Metagenomics and development of the gut microbiota in infants

The establishment of a balanced intestinal microbiota is essential for numerous aspects of human health, yet the microbial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of infants is both complex and highly variable among individuals. In addition, the gastrointestinal tract microbiota is often exposed to antibiotics, and may be an important reservoir of resistant strains and of transferable resistance genes from early infancy. We are investigating by means of diverse metagenomic approaches several areas of microbiota development in infants, including the deployment of functional capabilities at the community level, the presence of antibiotic resistances and the population dynamics of the most abundant genera.