Microbiology Is ... Your Microbiome, Your Health
Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Ph.D. discusses the importance of a healthy microbiome and ways we can keep our microbiomes functioning properly to prevent diseases such as cervical cancer.
What's the Issue?
You are your microbiome. The billions of microbes that live on and inside each of us are critical for regulating and maintaining our health, whether in the gut, vagina, nose or on the skin. Malfunctioning microbiota can lead to issues related to development, obesity and cancer.
Decades of research suggest that disruption of the cervical microbiome is a major factor that puts women at risk of developing cervical cancer due to infection with high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV). Cervical cancer is highly preventable through vaccination and early detection, yet it remains a major public health problem worldwide, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean:
- Mortality rates due to cervical cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean are 3 times higher than in the United States.
- Puerto Rico has the highest age-adjusted incidence for cervical cancer in the U.S.
- Screening levels for cervical cancer in the region do not meet the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s “Healthy People 2020” recommendation of 93%.
How to Get Involved
Understanding how microbiomes work is critical for microbiological research and disease prevention. For more information about the human microbiome, and to learn about the latest guidelines on cervical care, check out the links below:
- Pap screening care and early detection.
- Preserving microbiomes for future generations.
- Studying Microbiome Dynamics for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Hispanics.
Interested in learning more about scientific research happening in the Caribbean? Check out these organizations:
- AAAS Caribbean Division.
- CienciaPR.
- Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists.
- University of Puerto Rico Microbiome Lab.
About Filipa Godoy-Vitorino
Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Ph.D., is an associate professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. In addition to her research on the microbiome, Godoy-Vitorino is president of the AAAS Caribbean Division, which fosters collaborations among scientists and seeks to create a culture of strong STEM education throughout the Caribbean region. She is a passionate educator and is the mentor of the Graduate Women in Science—Puerto Rico Chapter, a group founded by microbiology students that empowers women to pursue scientific careers.About the "Microbiology Is ..." Project
The “Microbiology Is ...” project is a new series from ASM in which we’ll highlight how microbiologists around the world work with local, national and international partners to apply laboratory research to real-world issues that directly affect individuals and communities. From the obvious (antibiotics, safe drinking water) to the obscure (wine production), we’ll cover the entire spectrum of applications for microbiology. Through these stories, we want to showcase the human side of science and the true impact microbiology has on society. Hopefully, we’ll also be able to inspire more microbiologists to bring their work out of the lab and into their local communities. Because ultimately, microbiology is for everyone.
