The branch of biology that studies organisms whose complete genetic makeup and all microorganisms are known and controlled, usually grown in sterile laboratory conditions.
From Greek gnotos 'known' + bios 'life' + -logy 'study of.' A 20th-century scientific term created as experimental biology advanced.
Gnotobiology enabled the creation of 'germ-free mice' that have been essential to understanding how gut bacteria affect everything from immunity to behavior—and it turns out having zero bacteria isn't actually healthy.
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