Frontiers in Microbiomes

Microbiomes are assemblages of microorganisms that are associated with host organisms or a particular habitat. Through their ecological interactions, metabolic processes, and biogeochemical interactions, microbiomes profoundly influence the world around us. The study of microbiomes is inherently collaborative and interdisciplinary, drawing on diverse disciplines such as ecology, microbiology, medicine, chemistry, biogeochemistry, plant and animal physiology, and soil and water sciences. The wealth of microbial DNA sequencing data in public archives represents an underutilized resource for understanding these multifaceted interactions. Thus, microbiome sciences intersect with genomics, genetics, and molecular biology, and therefore microbiome sciences are heavily dependent on cutting-edge computational approaches, such as multivariate statistics and bioinformatics.

Frontiers in Microbiomes publishes research at the intersection of microbiology and one or more of the following fields: ecology, genomics, environmental science, and health. Priority will be given to interdisciplinary and integrative research that connects the structure and function of host-associated and/or environmental microbiomes to different dimensions of plant, animal, and environmental health. Our scope emphasizes question- or hypothesis-driven research that advances our understanding of how microbiomes generate positive or negative outcomes for their hosts and environments. We also welcome reports that demonstrate technological and computational tools that advance the same. Meta-analyses and studies that utilize DNA sequence archives are encouraged. Our aim is to publish research that illuminates impactful connections between microbiomes and the world around us.