Large-scale skin metagenomics reveals extensive prevalence, coordination, and functional adaptation of skin microbiome dermotypes across body sites

Human Microbiome Project (HMP)

This research expands upon the established paradigm of the Human Microbiome Project by focusing on in-depth characterization of the skin microbiome and introducing the novel concept of "dermotypes". While acknowledging the existing knowledge of site-specific differences in skin microbial composition, the study builds upon it by identifying robust clusters of microbial communities within each site, indicating a deeper level of organization than previously recognized. The study also introduces new analytical methods and experimental validations (e.g. species co-abundance network analysis, antagonism assays) that advance the field's understanding of how dermotypes are shaped and how they may relate to skin health. The integration of multiple data types including host attributes, skin physiology, and behaviors is also a significant methodological expansion within the existing paradigm. Thus, the work represents a substantial contribution within the HMP framework, without challenging its fundamental tenets. There are elements of Model Drift, as the skin microbiome is not well studied and understood. However, because the work falls within the larger paradigm of the HMP, Normal Science is the primary classification.