Joel’s main research interest is the molecular assessment of the human intestinal microbiota in health and disease and investigation of the molecular cross-talk between intestinal bacteria and human cells. He has published more than 220 publications in peer reviewed scientific journals.

We discuss a wide range of topics, including the following questions:

1. Utility of currently available stool microbiome tests.

2. Are the unique characteristics of the gut microbiome adaptions to a rapidly changing environment including diet, medications, environmental chemicals like forever chemical, microplastics, other xenobiotics, causing a mismatch with our very slowly changing innate immune system which isn’t able to keep up?

3. Is there solid evidence to say that gut microbial diversity and richness plays a role in resilience to several diseases?

4. What are the major clinical applications of microbiome science?