A Repository to Study Host-Microbiome Interactions in Health and Disease

Study Description: The human microbiome and host response to the microbiome play a key role in human health and disease. The Clinical Microbiome Unit focuses on clinical microbiome intervention trials to improve human health. This is a sample collection repository protocol to provide samples needed for validation of assays and techniques vital to the success of designing and analyzing interventional trials. Primary Objective: To collect biological specimens to assess host microbiome response for 1) assay validation, 2) optimization of techniques for collection, storage, processing and analyzing samples, 3) control samples for research tests in other studies, and 4) identification of potential targets from which clinical trials can be designed to better understand or mitigate microbiome-associated diseases.