Check out this great lecture, “Wellness and the Immune System” about the microbiome of the gut!

Although the lecture relates to cancer, this information is so relevant for all of us, especially people with chronic skin conditions. Not only does the gut have its microbiome made up of trillions of bacteria, but the skin, too, hosts millions of microorganisms. The microbiome directly relates to digestion and systemic inflammation.

Some parts of this lecture are quite academic, but I was impressed that both speakers discussed fecal transplant therapy – which will hopefully be a significant trend in the future of medicine. In fecal transplantation,  stool from a healthy donor is transferred into a recipient. So far, it has mainly been used for patients suffering from C diff infection, but may be used far more broadly in the future. Interestingly, in the last couple of years this has been a big topic of conversation amongst my dermatology colleagues and our professor, Mazin Al-Khafaji. Really fascinating stuff, and who knows – it may some day become relevant for people suffering from psoriasis, eczema, or other skin conditions.