Microbiota Vault: Why Scientists Are Freezing Human Poop To Prevent a Disaster 100 Years From Now

Ulcerative Colitis Driven by Risk Gene and Gut Microbiota Interactions

Researchers at Osaka University, Japan, have found that a known risk gene for ulcerative colitis requires interactions with pathological gut bacteria to drive disease progression and severity. Their findings, published in Science Immunology, present a novel target for the development of therapeutics and diagnostic biomarkers for a complex condition with limited treatment options.  The study focused on a single-nucleotide variant of the OTU deubi…

Microbiota Vault: Why Scientists Are Freezing Human Poop To Prevent a Disaster 100 Years From Now

In an ambitious and eyebrow-raising scientific endeavor, researchers are freezing human feces — not as a stunt or curiosity, but as a safeguard against a looming biological crisis. The project, known as the Microbiota Vault, aims to preserve essential gut microbes that scientists believe are disappearing at an alarming rate due to human activity. If successful, this frozen repository could one day help restore health, resilience, and biodiversit…