The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) aims to understand the microbial components of the human genetic and metabolic landscape and their roles in health and disease. The human genome contains only about 20,000 protein-coding genes, but the microbiota, which live on and inside the human body, contains an estimated 100,000 genes, far exceeding the human genome. These microbes contribute traits that humans did not evolve on their own. The HMP is an interdisciplinary effort involving multiple projects worldwide, building on the Human Genome Project. It seeks to characterize the microbiome, its distribution, and the factors influencing it, to understand human evolution and health. The HMP will use metagenomics to study the genomes, RNA, proteins, and metabolic products of microbial communities. It aims to identify new ways to determine health and disease predisposition, and to design strategies for manipulating the microbiota. The project will also address the diversity of the human microbiome, the functions of the microbiota, and the impact of the microbiome on human physiology, including immune function, metabolism, and behavior. The HMP will require advanced sequencing technologies, computational tools, and global collaboration to achieve its goals. It will also involve the development of resources and tools for analyzing microbial data, and the establishment of human observatories to monitor microbial ecology. The HMP is expected to provide insights into the human microbiome's role in health and disease, and to contribute to personalized medicine and public health.The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) aims to understand the microbial components of the human genetic and metabolic landscape and their roles in health and disease. The human genome contains only about 20,000 protein-coding genes, but the microbiota, which live on and inside the human body, contains an estimated 100,000 genes, far exceeding the human genome. These microbes contribute traits that humans did not evolve on their own. The HMP is an interdisciplinary effort involving multiple projects worldwide, building on the Human Genome Project. It seeks to characterize the microbiome, its distribution, and the factors influencing it, to understand human evolution and health. The HMP will use metagenomics to study the genomes, RNA, proteins, and metabolic products of microbial communities. It aims to identify new ways to determine health and disease predisposition, and to design strategies for manipulating the microbiota. The project will also address the diversity of the human microbiome, the functions of the microbiota, and the impact of the microbiome on human physiology, including immune function, metabolism, and behavior. The HMP will require advanced sequencing technologies, computational tools, and global collaboration to achieve its goals. It will also involve the development of resources and tools for analyzing microbial data, and the establishment of human observatories to monitor microbial ecology. The HMP is expected to provide insights into the human microbiome's role in health and disease, and to contribute to personalized medicine and public health.