Researcher MCarmen Collado, principal investigator of the MAINBIOTICS laboratory at the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), concluded the Microbiology and Health Lecture Series last Wednesday, April 16, with a presentation highlighting her team’s work, with special focus on maternal and child health.
Valencia, April 16 – The Microbiology and Health Lecture Series, organized by FISABIO and coordinated by Dr. Carles Úbeda, has brought together leading experts in microbiology and public health over several weeks. The series concluded with the participation of Dr. MCarmen Collado, principal investigator of the MAINBIOTICS laboratory at IATA-CSIC, who gave a talk focused on how the microbiota influences maternal and child health.
Collado presented some of the research developed at the MAINBIOTICS laboratory, centered on the interaction between maternal diet, microbiota, and child health. In her talk, she shared results from comparative studies between different populations around the world, such as Africa and Europe, to understand how factors like contact with animals or the environment influence the composition of the microbiota. She also addressed key aspects such as the role of breastfeeding in the transmission of bioactive compounds and its importance for both neonatal development and maternal health.
MAINBIOTICS is committed to scientific outreach and reducing the gender gap. In this regard, the researcher emphasized that “there is still much to be done to develop tools that study female experiences,” a line of research she also pursues as part of the MANUELA project (@ManuelaProyecto), an initiative led by IATA-CSIC that studies the microbiota, health, and nutrition of women in Spain.
