Listen to the episodeThe First Research
Oluf Borbye Pedersen
Oluf Borbye Pedersen is dr. med., professor and head researcher at the Metabolism center at University of Copenhagen.
Oluf is one of the pioneers within microbiome research and human genome, and has been a scientist for +50 years, with more than 1000 scientific articles and the author of several popular books about the microbiome and gut health.
He is a specialist in internal medicine and endocrinology and holds a medical doctorate in molecular biology.
About the episode
The gut microbiome is now a popular field in research, but that wasn't always the case. Oluf Borbye Pedersen was one of the first pioneers within this field and in this episode he explains how a 2006 idea to sequence the "black box" of bacteria in the human gut turned into one of the largest scientific gambles of his career.
Oluf walks through the technological breakthrough that made it possible, the 2010 Nature publication and what it revealed, that turned microbiome research into one of the biggest research areas of health study. And how we have only just scratched the surface.
01:55 - How it all started
08:56 - What they discovered and the skepticism
18:50 - The fear of communicating about the microbiome
23:15 - How Oluf nurses his own microbiome
Curious about yourown gut microbiome?
Get your microbiome test here
Want to know aboutthe gut microbiome and health?
Read our related articles
Microbiome and Diet: Eat Your Way to a Healthy Gut
Your diet is perhaps the single biggest factor influencing your gut microbiome, and it is also the one you can...
08 May 2026 • 5 min read
Boosting The Beneficial Bacteria
What you eat has a huge impact on your gut health. Some foods are beneficial for your gut bacteria, while others...
05 Oct 2022 • 5 min read
How to Support Your Child's Gut Health
Do you want to know more about your child's gut health? Today we know that some of the "good" bacteria...
31 Jul 2026 • 5 min read
Exercise and What it Means for Your Gut Health
We all know that exercise is a basic pillar of our health. Optimal levels of physical activity lower the risk...
31 Jul 2026 • 5 min read
The Gut Microbiome: Why Diversity is an Important Health Indicator
Most people think of gut health as a matter of having enough good bacteria. But research points to diversity as...
13 May 2026 • 5 min read
Get Your Gut Flora Tested: Here is What You Can Learn
Getting your gut flora tested has become far more accessible in recent years. But why? And what can you actually...
08 May 2026 • 5 min read
Analyzing The Microbiome: A Window Into The Body's Most Complex Ecosystem
Your gut microbiome is one of the most complex ecosystems in the human body, and science is only beginning to...
07 May 2026 • 5 min read
Tips for Restoring Your Gut Flora After Antibiotics
Antibiotics don't discriminate - alongside the harmful bacteria, they can also wipe out the beneficial ones that keep your gut...
27 Apr 2026 • 5 min read
Restore Your Gut Flora: How to Bring Your Gut Back into Balance
Bloating, fatigue, and digestive troubles are often signs that your gut flora is out of balance. The good news is...
27 Apr 2026 • 5 min read
Your Inner Universe: Learn More About The Microbiome
You are not alone in your body. Billions of microbes live in and on you, forming your microbiome, and they...
16 Apr 2026 • 5 min read
What is Gut Flora, and Why is it Important?
Your gut flora, the billions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses living in your digestive system, plays a far bigger role...
16 Apr 2026 • 5 min read
DNA is everywhere
Where ever you go and whatever you do, you leave traces of DNA behind. DNA is part of the roughly...
13 Jan 2026 • 5 min read