Secrets of the microbiome: the skin

The trillions of microbes living on and inside the human body are
an important part of who we are, from mediating all of our
interactions with the environment to determining our cancer risk
and influencing who we fall for. And scientists are only just
beginning to decipher the species of bugs we share our lives with,
and how they shape us. In the final part of this Science Weekly
mini-series, Ian Sample meets Julie Thornton, academic director of
the Centre for Skin Sciences and professor in cutaneous biology at
the university of Bradford. Julie tells Ian how the skin microbiome
varies across our bodies, how it helps with everything from wound
healing to immunity, and how we can protect it from the disruptive
impact of modern life.. Help support our independent journalism at
theguardian.com/sciencepod