title: Incorporating Cutaneous and Wound Bacterial Bioburden Biomarkers into Clinical Research: A Review of Best Practices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide information about initiating interdisciplinary research related to microbiomes and their role in human immunity, disease, and metabolic processes.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1. Describe techniques to identify and characterize bacterial bioburden.2. Identify optimal collection, transport, and storage of samples.
  
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review is to provide a roadmap for clinical scientists interested in integrating bacterial bioburden (BB) biomarkers into the next generation of cutaneous or wound disease research studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complex relationships exist between humans and their microbiome. Until now, clinical scientists have been limited in fully characterizing relationships between humans and their microbiome. Recent technological innovations, such as next-generation DNA sequencing, also known as deep sequencing or pyrosequencing, have enhanced clinicians' capacity to identify, characterize, and elucidate the role of BB (ie, bacterial load, diversity, pathogenicity) in human immunity, disease, and metabolic processes. The understanding of common terminology, intervening variables that influence BB, limitations of next-generation DNA sequencing, and specimen selection, collection, transport, and storage practices are needed to support interdisciplinary communication, research design, and integrity of the specimen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review serves as a primer for building foundational knowledge in microbiome research, which will aid clinical scientists with initiating interdisciplinary communication necessary for scientific team building.
authors.affiliation: Jeremy Honaker, MSN, FNP-C, CWOCN • Clinical Instructor • Department of Dermatology • Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Case Medical Center, School of Medicine • Cleveland, Ohio Christie Ammons, BS • Affiliate • Department of Dermatology • Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine • Cleveland, Ohio Teresa Kelechi, PhD, RN, CWCN, FAAN • Professor • Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing • Charleston, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Honaker
authors.forename: Christie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ammons
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kelechi
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006801:Humans; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D017592:Skin Care / Q000592:standards*; D014945:Wound Healing