The long-term goal of the Human Genes and Microbiota in Early Life (HuGME) is to explore the short- and long-term effects of maternal microbiota during pregnancy and the microbiota colonization of their offspring early in life and their interaction with the host on maternal-offspring health consequences in later life in the born in Guangzhou cohort study in China. Identification of the effect of microbiota in early life, as well as environmental factors and microbe-host interaction, will lead to a better understanding of disease pathogenesis and provide a foundation for targeted mechanistic investigation into the consequences of microbial-host crosstalk for long-term health. It also can result in new strategies to predict and prevent diseases in later life.