This article was originally published in 2019 and has been updated for clarity and readability.
Recently, the first meeting of the “Million Microbiome of Humans Project (MMHP)” International Cooperation Program was held at the National Gene Bank of Shenzhen. The project is the world’s largest international microecology research program, aiming to sequence and analyze 1 million human microbiome samples to build the largest human microbiome database.
International Collaboration and Expert Participation
The meeting hosted 10 scholars and experts from Sweden, China, France, Latvia, Denmark, and the Netherlands, with over 100 industry professionals in attendance. Discussions focused on cooperation frameworks, organizational structures, data storage, sharing, and open collaboration. The project’s progress aligns with expectations, and the next stage of work has been agreed upon.
Open-Source Database to Benefit All Partners
Professor Mathias Uhlén, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Engineering, stated: “MMHP is creating an open-source database that benefits all partners, promoting the development of microbiology. We are working with a group of outstanding people and welcome others to join. Together, we will make history in this frontier field.”
Defining a Healthy Microbiome Through Multiomics
Professor Lars Engstrand, Director of the Center for Translational Microbiology Research, Karolinska Medical College, Sweden, highlighted the importance of multiomics and large population studies to define a healthy individual microbiome. The Swedish Transformative Microbiology Research Center sequenced nearly a thousand samples using MGI’s high-throughput platform, generating 9Tb of data. Large-scale cohort studies include elderly (over 60 years old, 30,000 people) and SIMPLER cohort (110,000 people), with standardized sample collection and DNA extraction protocols.
Microbiome Research and Human Health
Researcher Liu Ruixin from Shanghai Ruijin Hospital-China National Center for Clinical Research on Metabolic Diseases presented findings showing gut microbes as a factor in diabetes development. Professor Stanislav Dusko Ehrlich, chief scientist of the French INRA MetaGenoPolis project, emphasized that microbial richness is closely linked to human health and disease. Other international scientists also shared their latest research results at the conference.
Making History Through Global Cooperation
Academician Yang Huanming concluded: “We are making history. Through this large-scale international cooperation plan, Chinese scientists will continue to collaborate with researchers worldwide and expand knowledge in this pioneering field.”
