2011 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Enhance communication and interaction between the ARS/BHNRC and the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reseach communities to facilitate research on probiotics in human subjects, and to integrate results from that research into an improved understanding of the mechanism of action of probiotics and their effects on human health. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Each Agency has existing programs and resources for facilitating reearch and technology development. Research facilitated by this MOU will be complementary to studies supported by the ARS/BHNRC and NIH/NCCAM at the agencies' intramural and extramural laboratories. 3.Progress Report During FY2011, studies conducted on human subjects at Massachusetts General Hospital funded by NIH/NCCAM were complemented by molecular characterization of fecal probiotic content at USDA/ARS/BHNRC. The initial studies provided a proof of principle that techniques developed in pigs fed probiotics could be used successfully in human subjects to detect probiotics in feces after feeding studies. Additional work to characterize cytokine and chemokine markers in whole blood from these subjects has also been initiated to duplicate studies developed in the pig model. This agreement was monitored through email, visits, and telephone communication.