Did you know? Americans are over three times more likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases compared to the global average, with approximately 16.67% of the U.S. population affected versus 5% worldwide.
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study.
Kimberly Eyer, a Registered Nurse with 30 years of nursing experience across diverse settings, including Home Health, ICU, Operating Room Nursing, and Research. Her roles have encompassed Operating Room Nurse, RN First Assistant, and Acting Director of a Same Day Surgery Center. Her specialty areas include Adult Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Neurosurgery.
Autoimmune disease is when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissues, often linked to imbalances in the microbiome, which can disrupt immune regulation and contribute to disease development.
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study.
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study.
Kimberly Eyer, a Registered Nurse with 30 years of nursing experience across diverse settings, including Home Health, ICU, Operating Room Nursing, and Research. Her roles have encompassed Operating Room Nurse, RN First Assistant, and Acting Director of a Same Day Surgery Center. Her specialty areas include Adult Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Neurosurgery.
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells, leading to chronic inflammation and tissue damage. These conditions can be systemic, affecting multiple organs, or organ-specific, targeting a single tissue type. While the exact causes of autoimmune diseases remain unclear, they are believed to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Emerging research has highlighted the significant role of the gut microbiome in the development and regulation of the immune system, suggesting that imbalances in microbial communities may contribute to the onset and progression of these diseases.
Conditions
The Microbiome Signatures Database on Autoimmune Disease is a developing resource designed to catalog and analyze the complex interactions between the gut microbiome and various autoimmune conditions. While the database is not yet fully comprehensive, it currently includes a selection of microbiome signatures associated with a limited number of autoimmune diseases. These initial entries represent the early stages of our efforts to understand the intricate relationships between microbial communities and immune system dysfunction. As research in this field progresses, we are actively expanding the database to include a broader range of conditions and more detailed microbial profiles. Our goal is to provide a robust and comprehensive resource that will serve as a valuable tool for researchers, clinicians, and anyone interested in the evolving science of the microbiome and its impact on autoimmune diseases.
Each autoimmune disease is characterized by the immune system mistakenly attacking particular tissues, leading to a range of clinical symptoms. While the table omits detailed descriptions of the conditions themselves, it serves as a quick reference to understand which tissues are primarily involved in each disorder.
What are the common autoimmune diseases and which body parts are affected?
The FAQs section offers clear answers about autoimmune diseases, their causes, and the role of the gut microbiome. It explains the purpose of the category page and how the microbiome signatures database can help explore connections between microbes and autoimmune conditions, providing essential information for researchers, clinicians, and others interested in the intersection of autoimmunity and the microbiome.
What are autoimmune diseases?
Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells, tissues, or organs, leading to chronic inflammation, tissue damage, and various symptoms depending on the organs affected.
How are autoimmune diseases classified?
Autoimmune diseases can be classified as either systemic, affecting multiple organs (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus), or organ-specific, targeting a single tissue type (e.g., Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis).
What causes autoimmune diseases?
The exact causes of autoimmune diseases are not fully understood, but they are believed to arise from a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, immune system dysregulation, and gut dysbiosis.
How is the gut microbiome related to autoimmune diseases?
The gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of microorganisms living in the digestive tract, plays a crucial role in immune system development and function. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in the gut microbiome, has been linked to the development and exacerbation of autoimmune diseases.
How can I use the microbiome signatures database in relation to autoimmune diseases?
The microbiome signatures database can be used to explore specific microbial patterns associated with different autoimmune diseases. It provides valuable insights into potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets related to the microbiome’s role in autoimmunity.
Research Feed
Multiple sclerosis patients have a distinct gut microbiota compared to healthy controls
Did you know? Americans are over three times more likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases compared to the global average, with approximately 16.67% of the U.S. population affected versus 5% worldwide.
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Voluptatibus ullam nulla temporibus nobis. Atque eaque sed totam est
assumenda. Porro modi soluta consequuntur veritatis excepturi minus
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Did you know? Americans are over three times more likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases compared to the global average, with approximately 16.67% of the U.S. population affected versus 5% worldwide.
Alias iure reprehenderit aut accusantium. Molestiae dolore suscipit.
Necessitatibus eum quaerat. Repudiandae suscipit quo necessitatibus.
Voluptatibus ullam nulla temporibus nobis. Atque eaque sed totam est
assumenda. Porro modi soluta consequuntur veritatis excepturi minus
delectus reprehenderit est. Eveniet labore ut quas minima aliquid quibusdam.
Vitae possimus fuga praesentium eveniet debitis exercitationem deleniti.
Create a free account to unlock this study summary.
Microbiome Insiders can read two study summaries for any topic on Microbiome.
Did you know? Americans are over three times more likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases compared to the global average, with approximately 16.67% of the U.S. population affected versus 5% worldwide.
Several studies provide evidence of a potential association between occupational zinc exposure and an increased incidence of MS [x,x,x,x,x].
Alias iure reprehenderit aut accusantium. Molestiae dolore suscipit.
Necessitatibus eum quaerat. Repudiandae suscipit quo necessitatibus.
Voluptatibus ullam nulla temporibus nobis. Atque eaque sed totam est
assumenda. Porro modi soluta consequuntur veritatis excepturi minus
delectus reprehenderit est. Eveniet labore ut quas minima aliquid quibusdam.
Vitae possimus fuga praesentium eveniet debitis exercitationem deleniti.
Create a free account to unlock this study summary.
Microbiome Insiders can read two study summaries for any topic on Microbiome.
Alias iure reprehenderit aut accusantium. Molestiae dolore suscipit.
Necessitatibus eum quaerat. Repudiandae suscipit quo necessitatibus.
Voluptatibus ullam nulla temporibus nobis. Atque eaque sed totam est
assumenda. Porro modi soluta consequuntur veritatis excepturi minus
delectus reprehenderit est. Eveniet labore ut quas minima aliquid quibusdam.
Vitae possimus fuga praesentium eveniet debitis exercitationem deleniti.
Create a free account to unlock this study summary.
Microbiome Insiders can read two study summaries for any topic on Microbiome.
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study. 
Kimberly Eyer, a Registered Nurse with 30 years of nursing experience across diverse settings, including Home Health, ICU, Operating Room Nursing, and Research. Her roles have encompassed Operating Room Nurse, RN First Assistant, and Acting Director of a Same Day Surgery Center. Her specialty areas include Adult Cardiac Surgery, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Neurosurgery. 
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