107. Engineering and preserving the microbiome

We’re fascinated by the microbiome — and for good reason. But how do we protect this invisible ecosystem that plays such a vital role in our health?

From engineering live, programmable therapeutics that disarm dangerous gut pathogens to creating a global “doomsday vault” to safeguard the diversity of human gut microbes, we dive deep into the cutting-edge science shaping the future of microbiome research.

Show notes

1. Ronda, C., Perdue, T., Schwanz, L. et al. Precise virulence inactivation using a CRISPR-associated transposase for combating Enterobacteriaceae gut pathogens. Nat. Biomed. Eng (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551-025-01453-12.

2. Dominguez-Bello, M.G., Steiger, D., Fankhauser, M. et al. The microbiota vault initiative: safeguarding Earth’s microbial heritage for future generations. Nat Commun 16, 5373 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61008-5