This fully updated and expanded second edition of the textbook provides an accessible overview of how the gut microbiome contributes to various aspects of human health through its connection to the immune system. Readers will gain a fundamental understanding of the composition and function of the microbiome and its critical influence on diseases and disorders such as cancer, inflammatory diseases, allergies, and metabolic and organ disorders. The authors explore the evolution of the human gut microbiome, its influence on early life development, and its relationship to diet and nutrition. In addition, the textbook discusses the latest microbiome-based therapeutic approaches. This second edition has been conceptually revised, didactically improved, and expanded by three brand-new chapters.

Aimed at medical microbiology students, researchers, and anyone interested in learning more about the impact of the gut microbiome on human health and well-being.

Dr. Dirk Haller is Full Professor of Nutrition and Immunology and Director of the Institute for Food & Health at the Technical University of Munich. He received his academic training at the University of Hohenheim, graduating in Nutrition Science and Food Technology, and completed his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. Following postdoctoral research periods in Switzerland (Nestlé Research Center) and the USA (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), he received career and science awards from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM). He pioneered the concept of microbe–host interactions and has substantially contributed to the understanding of chronic inflammatory disorders of the gut.