The Environmental Microbiome

The environment includes an almost infinite variety of microorganisms and their products. The human microbiome is influenced by this environmental microbiome and its interconnectedness, which recognizes these environmental elements as part of a complex ecosystem impacting human health. The recognition that humans co-evolved with microbes has contributed to the acknowledgment that different ecological communities of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms share and contribute to our body. Microbiomes include species across all major kingdoms, including viruses as well as archaea, bacteria, and microbial eukaryotes. Recent research is rapidly strengthening the appreciation that associated microorganisms make essential contributions to human health and environmental well-being. This volume is an exploration of the environmental microbiome.

About the Author

Professor Sunil Thomas is a Research Professor at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, where he leads innovative work at the intersection of cell biology, microbiology, and translational medicine. His research is primarily focused on developing next-generation immunotherapies for complex and chronic conditions, including inflammatory bowel diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. A key component of his work involves investigating the role of the microbiome in disease progression and therapeutic response. Over the course of his career, Professor Thomas has made significant contributions to the fields of infectious disease and vaccine development. He has been involved in the design and development of diagnostic tools and vaccines targeting a range of infectious pathogens. In addition, his research has extended into the structural biology of viruses, providing insights into viral mechanisms that inform both therapeutic and preventive approaches. Professor Thomas earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Biotechnology from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in India. He subsequently completed postdoctoral training at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, where he further refined his expertise in molecular and translational biomedical research. An accomplished scholar, Professor Thomas has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to books on vaccines and infectious diseases. He is also an inventor on multiple patents, reflecting the practical and translational impact of his research.