From Beetles To Bodies

About This Event

From Beetles To Bodies: How Environment Shapes Microbial Communities What do flesh-eating beetles in museums and people living in Colorado have in common? More than you might think. In this talk, our Genomics Scientist, Dr. Bridget Chalifour, and Tiffany Nuessle, Research Manager for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science Genomics Lab explore how our environments — including those inhabited by the Museum’s tiniest employees — shape the microscopic communities living inside us. Learn how decades of institutional life have given Museum beetle colonies their own distinct gut microbiomes, and how neighborhood greenery and pets can influence the bacteria living in your nose, with possible links to mental health. Whether you’re a beetle in a specimen preparation lab or a human taking a walk around the block, your surroundings are leaving a microbial fingerprint. Get your tickets now for this exciting update on this brand-new research!