Research buzz: Microbiome

Researchers: Jacques Ravel, associate director for genomics, University of Maryland School of Medicine's Institute for Genome Sciences, and Eric Wommack, a University of Delaware professor

Project: Ravel and Wommack are launching Microbiome, a new research journal. BioMed Central, an online publisher of peer-reviewed articles in medical research, is publishing the journal. It will focus on research exploring microorganisms' natural environment, known as a microbiome, which can include the human body or any other environmental habitat.

Stage of project: The first issue is scheduled to launch in the fall. Ravel and Wommack are pulling together an editorial review board of scientists from the U.S., France, Australia, China and other countries to contribute.

Implications: The researchers hope to help spur new insights on the roles microbiomes play in microbial interactions. They plan to include environmental, agricultural and biomedical research.