The Human Microbiome in Health and Disease: Advances in Characterisation and Therapeutic Modulation

This chapter provides an in-depth review of recent advances in the characterisation of the human microbiome across body compartments — including the gut, oral cavity, respiratory tract, and skin — with a focus on the role of microbial dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of infectious and non-communicable diseases. It critically examines high-throughput metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and metabolomic methodologies used to profile microbial communities in health and disease states. The chapter further reviews emerging therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiome, including faecal microbiota transplantation, probiotic and prebiotic interventions, and phage-based modulation.