Appropriate Biological Standardisation to Bring Confidence to Omics Data: The Example of the Microbiome

Abstract

Abstract Research into the microbiome can provide invaluable information which is being increasingly used to improve knowledge on its fundamental influence over human health, and crucially, its potential to aid diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. However, the methods used to study this ecosystem are flawed and introduce bias at every stage of the process, from sample collection to DNA extraction and sequencing analysis. Groups across the world have rushed to conduct sophisticated omics studies of the microbiome with limited knowledge of these biases, as they are not yet fully understood. This has led to contradictory findings, a lack of comparability between seemingly similar studies, and a deterioration of overall trust in the field. Tackling this major issue requires biological standardisation; physical reference materials that provide a ground truth to which microbiome data can be compared. Through this comparison, we can identify the nature of biases and the stages at which they are introduced, and crucially, how the biases can be overcome by optimising and eventually improving the methods used. With the use of biological standards, the field can thus become harmonised, and the accuracy and reliability of the data produced can be improved. This would facilitate innovation across the different disciplines involved, through the development of novel approaches to overcome the current hurdles encountered when translating the vast promise of the microbiome to fulfil public health needs. Information © The Authors 2024