Episode 2: The bacteria that's good for you

Abstract

"There are hundreds of species of bacteria that live within your body right now, helping you digest your food and protect against infection by bacteria that cause disease. These bacteria and what they do is a growing area of scientific research about the body's microbiotic community.

Microbiologist Dr. Christopher Staley is among those exploring the link between microbiomes and human health. Dr. Staley is a new faculty member in the University of Minnesota's Department of Surgery. We discuss how the body's microbiome affects overall health and impacts recovery from surgery, new procedures like fecal transplants, and why we need to rethink our relationship with germs."