'Omics' Approaches for Studying the Microbiome in Alopecia Areata

The document from October 2020 discusses the significance of 'omics' approaches, like metagenomics and metabolomics, in studying the microbiome's role in alopecia areata (AA), a type of hair loss involving the immune system. It highlights that microbial dysbiosis, particularly involving Propionibacterium and Staphylococcus, has been observed in AA. The authors argue that these techniques can elucidate the microbiota composition changes and their effects on biological mechanisms in AA. They also point out the potential of omics in creating targeted therapies, including "postbiotical" drugs. The conclusion is that while the scalp microbiome's taxonomic composition in AA has been explored, the functional implications require more research through omics to develop new therapeutic strategies.