Mission

A GRIPPING STORY. REAL SCIENCE.

What if a thriller could keep you on the edge of your seat while revealing the fascinating secrets of the gut microbiome? That is the challenge at the heart of Mission: Microbiome.

Rafael Martins, a disgraced gut microbiome specialist, is fighting on two fronts: to save his wife Clara, who has been struck by a mysterious intestinal infection, and to restore the reputation of his friend Andrew Smith, a brilliant scientist who died under troubling circumstances.

Before his death, Andrew made a startling discovery: a previously overlooked microbial gene that could help explain the obesity epidemic sweeping across the United States.

But that discovery may also have been the reason he died…

Why read Mission: Microbiome?

As the investigation unfolds, Patrick Veiga takes readers behind the scenes of scientific research, making the discoveries that drive the story accessible and engaging, without unnecessary jargon:

• Real science, exploring the gut microbiome, diet, fermented foods, traditional and next-generation probiotics, as well as the scientific legacy of Élie Metchnikoff.
• A novel for everyone, even readers with no scientific background.
• A different way to learn, driven by suspense and the pleasure of a good story.

“A gem of science communication. An absolute must-read!”
— Élodie, Amazon review

“Patrick Veiga brilliantly immerses us in the world of scientific research on the microbiome. The choice of fiction as a vehicle for science is highly original…”
— Joël Doré, Research Director and internationally recognized expert on the gut microbiome

About the author

Patrick Veiga holds a PhD in microbiology and is a Research Director at INRAE. A specialist in the gut microbiome, he has devoted his career to understanding the interactions between our microbes, our diet, and our health. He also spent three years at Harvard, in the heart of Boston—the setting for much of this adventure.