ABC News: Microbiome Research Just Got a Mega Infusion of Government and Private Funding
“The Obama administration announced a $121-million National Microbiome Initiative [Saturday] to study how microscopic organisms that live all over the environment — and our bodies — can impact our health, climate, and food security…” (Chopra, 5/13).

The Atlantic: The White House Launches the National Microbiome Initiative
“…These minuscule organisms are attracting mammoth budgets: federal agencies are committing $121 million to the [National Microbiome Initiative (NMI)] over the next two years, while more than 100 universities, non-profits, and companies are chipping in another $400 million…” (Yong, 5/13).

Nature: White House goes big on microbiome research
“…Private investors will contribute another $400 million to the effort over several years. Among them is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which will spend $100 million over four years on nutrition and pest control programs in developing countries, and several research institutions that will examine microbes’ role in subjects such as cancer therapeutics and marine microbiology…” (Reardon, 5/13).

Science: Earth’s microbes get their own White House initiative
“…The initiative’s underlying goal, says microbiologist Jeff Miller at University of California, Los Angeles, should be to enable experiments testing cause and effect — not just showing inconclusive associations that have so far been typical of microbiome research…” (Servick, 5/13).