This course will provide a broad and comprehensive background on host-associated microbial communities such as the gut, dermal, and respiratory microbiotas. Course content will focus primarily, but not completely, on bacterial communities colonizing human and animal hosts, and each week will focus on a different topic within microbiome research. This course will also focus on the physiological role of host-associated microbial communities in health and disease-associated changes in composition and function, rather than the methodology used to characterize these communities or analyze the data. Nonetheless, students will gain a strong familiarity with sequencing platforms, methods, and common outcomes measures during this course. Graded on A-F basis only. Prerequisites: Introductory undergraduate course on basic medical microbiology (e.g., MICROB 3200 or equivalent).