Natural microbiota-based mouse models: A platform to fast-track translation of fundamental discoveries into the clinic.

Natural microbiota-based mouse models more accurately mimic human physiological responses than conventional laboratory mice.

• Why it matters: The limited microbial complexity of traditional mice hampers their ability to translate findings to human health, creating a gap in biomedical research relevance.
• What they did: The authors review how (re)colonizing mice with naturally evolved microbiota enhances the investigation of human disease and improves translational research.
• The result: Using natural microbiota-based models may accelerate the translation of fundamental discoveries into clinical applications by better reflecting human biological responses.