A Center of Excellence in Microbiome will be set up in Kerala under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment, with the support and participation of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology. The State Cabinet took the decision to grant administrative sanction for this project on Wednesday, accepting the detailed project report submitted by the Kerala Development Innovation and Strategic Council. The microbiome is the community of microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses and their genes that exist in a particular environment. Microbiome research yields a tremendous insight into the nature of microbial communities, their interactions, and their effects both within a host and in an external environment as part of an ecological community. The government proposes to create temporary posts to set the ball rolling. Sabu Thomas, who retired from RGCB, will be appointed as the first director on a contract basis for a period of three years.