The microbes in our intestinal tract are situated at the intersection of my two biggest passions: human nutrition and microbiology. Researching stool (scientist speak for poo) samples does not provide the best scented job, but it gives me an incredible amount of information, which I love to explore. Daily, I am amazed about the enormous impact these tiny organisms can have on our health. This influence already starts early on, when the microbial community is established simultaneously with the cognitive-, digestive and immune systems of a baby. Currently, this development in early life and the consequences of antibiotic-use is the topic for my PhD research at the Laboratory of Microbiology at Wageningen University. The stool samples that I am investigating belong to the INCA-study dataset, which followed 300 children from birth up and until 2 years old. For my work we look at the health of babies and toddlers, their microbiota and see how antibiotic use in early life affects their gut microbiome.