The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) aims to understand the microbial components of the human genetic and metabolic landscape and their role in normal physiology and disease predisposition. The project is an interdisciplinary effort involving multiple initiatives worldwide, focusing on characterizing the microbiome and the factors influencing its distribution and evolution. The HMP addresses fundamental scientific questions about the human microbiome, such as its stability, diversity, and the impact of environmental and lifestyle factors. Key challenges include sequencing more reference genomes, linking short gene fragments to organisms, and designing effective comparisons of microbial communities. The project also seeks to develop systems metagenomics approaches that integrate community structure, gene content, gene expression, and metabolism. The ultimate goal is to associate differences in microbial communities with metabolic functions and disease states, leading to new diagnostic biomarkers, therapeutic strategies, and insights into nutritional requirements.The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) aims to understand the microbial components of the human genetic and metabolic landscape and their role in normal physiology and disease predisposition. The project is an interdisciplinary effort involving multiple initiatives worldwide, focusing on characterizing the microbiome and the factors influencing its distribution and evolution. The HMP addresses fundamental scientific questions about the human microbiome, such as its stability, diversity, and the impact of environmental and lifestyle factors. Key challenges include sequencing more reference genomes, linking short gene fragments to organisms, and designing effective comparisons of microbial communities. The project also seeks to develop systems metagenomics approaches that integrate community structure, gene content, gene expression, and metabolism. The ultimate goal is to associate differences in microbial communities with metabolic functions and disease states, leading to new diagnostic biomarkers, therapeutic strategies, and insights into nutritional requirements.