James Kinross

Surgeon and lecturer Dr James Kinross explains new understanding about the complex ecosystem of bacteria, viruses and microbes in our bodies and how it is vital for our health and wellbeing.

Kinross says this microbiome is an invisible powerhouse whose potential we are now only beginning to understand. It influences our mood and appetite, determines how fast we run and even leads our choice of partner. Kinross says we damage ourselves if we don’t protect this microbiome and explains practical steps we can take to live healthier lives.

Kinross is a senior lecturer in colorectal surgery and consultant surgeon at Imperial College London and a visiting professor at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. He is leading research into how the microbiome causes cancer and other diseases of the gut.