The NIH Human Microbiome Project (HMP) Consortium would like to take the opportunity to update members of ASM regarding the status of our reference strain genome sequencing endeavors, and request feedback and community input from members of the Society. In 2007, the NIH launched a Roadmap Initiative focused on sequencing and analysis of the communities of microbes associated with the human body (known as the Human Microbiome) and to determine whether changes in the Human Microbiome correlate with changes in human health and disease. The overall goal of the HMP (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/hmp) is to provide resources and information that will accelerate research on the Human Microbiome and its relationship to human health and disease.