Longitudinal and spatial characterisation of microbial community composition and host microbe interactions in early life

The first months of life encompass the earliest interactions between the establishing microbiome and the maturing immune system. Commencing from birth and throughout the human lifespan, the microbiome has a critical role in immune system development, colonisation resistance and disease pathogenesis. Here I present a longitudinal investigation of early life microbial colonisation, integrating the collection of time-matched respiratory and stool samples with novel sample processing technologies and patient clinical outcomes. This work highlights the respiratory tract as a significant site for microbial manipulation and microbiome-based therapeutic intervention alongside the gut.