This NNI workshop booklet introduces a new format. Featuring 13 concise summaries with graphical abstracts, it provides insights into key areas of microbiome research, including early life gut microbiome patterns and the impact of parental microbiome programming. This informative booklet explores the trajectory of microbiome maturation, nutritional modulators, and their connection to health outcomes, with a focus on the major positive role of breastmilk. The booklet also highlights the future of microbiome research, examining environmental intersections, the gut virome, and the role of