Multidisciplinary approaches and advances in sequencing, bioinformatics and analytics have allowed the diversity of whole microbial communities to be investigated.

Studies of the microbiomes of natural resources, such as spring water, have the potential to uncover targets for the development of new probiotics or postbiotics.

Analyses of the microbiomes of animals can provide vital information about the health status of the planet, whereas studies of the human microbiome can help determine the impact of living environments on human health and disease.