On Sep. 6, 2024, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University College London (UCL), and the University of Birmingham announced results from the largest study of UK baby microbiomes to date. The researchers used whole genome sequencing to analyse stool samples from 1,288 healthy infants, all under one month old from the UK Baby Biome Study.

This research, published in Nature Microbiology, found that one of these beneficial bacterial pioneers was genetically adapted to make full use of the nutrients in breast milk, suggesting that it is the most suited to thrive in a baby’s microbiome. The team uncovered that this bacterium can also block pathogens from colonising the babies’ gut, highlighting its significant potential as a natural probiotic.