Baylor University Biologist Discovers Gut Microbes Hold Clues to Childhood Growth
New research led by Baylor University biologist Jeremiah J. “Jake” Minich, Ph.D., reveals that the stability of gut bacteria in early life may determine whether children thrive or struggle with undernutrition—a challenge impacting millions worldwide. Published in Cell, the study introduces a groundbreaking method to capture complete genomes of gut microbes, providing unprecedented insight into how bacteria influence healthy growth. Using advanced long-read DNA sequencing, Minich and his team followed children in Malawi for nearly a year, mapping nearly 1,000 complete bacterial genomes. Their findings show that children who grew steadily maintained stable gut bacteria, while those with slower growth experienced shifting microbial populations—highlighting the critical role of the microbiome in early development.
Baylor University Biologist Discovers Gut Microbes Hold Clues to Childhood Growth