The presence of bacteria in solid human tumors has been documented for over a century. However, only in recent years has a more comprehensive characterization of this low-biomass microbiome been undertaken. We have been characterizing the presence of bacteria and fungi across a wide range of human tumor types and have begun to dissect their functional roles and clinical relevance, including their impact on responses to therapy. In this seminar, I will provide a brief overview of the current understanding of the multi-kingdom tumor microbiome landscape and present our findings on its potential effects on cancer therapy.
