At U of M, marine biologists are studying oysters and algae to keep humans well
Rachel Diner (left) and Champagne Cunningham in their lab at the University of Memphis Aug. 8, 2026. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
Though you can’t see them, in and on our body are trillions of microbes: bacteria, fungi, archaea, even viruses. They’re in our guts, on our legs and on our fingernails. If you were to shove a microscope under your armpit right now, you’d find thousands and thousands of bacteria.
Maybe that grosses you out. Maybe it sends you running to the shower. But these microbes are our allies, not our enemies. Together, they make up our microbiome, which helps us digest food and protects us against harmful diseases.
Microbes aren’t unique to humans, either. Nearly every species has its own microbiome.
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John Klyce
John Klyce is an enterprise reporter with The Daily Memphian who writes a wide range of in-depth features, as well as profiles about local leaders, scientists, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone else doing exciting and important work in this city. He previously spent four years with the Memphis Business Journal, where he covered public companies, startups, and innovation, and a fifth year with The Commercial Appeal, where he covered education, and chronicled how gun violence and poverty were affecting Memphis youth and their families. He has also been a fellow with the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. John has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Memphis and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Boston University.
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