SNBB 41 - Dr. Andres Gomez: Can certain bacterial enterotypes predict pig performance?

We know that the microbiome can have an effect on a pig’s performance, and that it can be manipulated. However, can we predict a pig’s performance based on their microbiome classification, ie. their enterotype? In today’s episode, I talk with Dr. Andres Gomez about his work trying to answer that question and determine if a pig’s enterotype can affect the efficacy of some feed additives.

Meet the guest:

Dr. Andres Gomez is a microbial ecology professor at the University of Minnesota. He received his B.S. and M.S. from the National University of Colombia before attending the University of Illinois to earn his Ph.D. in Microbial Ecology in 2014. At UMN, his lab studies the factors that shape the composition and function of the microbiome associated with animals and humans. They apply a system-level view of microbes and host, using meta-OMIC techniques (metagenomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics), along with bioinformatic, machine learning and statistical tools. This approach is used to understand how the microbiome interacts with the host, influencing host nutrition, health and evolution.