Revolutionizing Health with Microbiome Innovation at the University of Maryland School of Medicine

A UMSOM delegation visited the University of Costa Rica to launch new collaborations on aging, longevity, microbiomes, and cancer, made possible by the Alicia and Yaya Foundation. The visit combined field experiences in Costa Rica’s Blue Zones with scientific exchange, training workshops, and plans for lasting research and education partnerships.

The project aims to dramatically shorten diagnostic timelines while improving pathogen detection and antimicrobial resistance.

Two linked studies from the NIH-funded TransBiota project reveal that genital microbiomes in transmasculine and transfeminine individuals di>er fundamentally from those of cisgender women. Together, the findings challenge long-standing assumptions about “optimal” microbiome states and underscore the need for evidence-based, gender-affirming clinical care.

In Nature Communications, we introduce VIRGO2, a next-generation gene catalog that dramatically expands our ability to study the function and ecology of the vaginal microbiome. This open resource enables more precise, mechanistic analyses of microbial communities that are central to women’s health.

In a new study published in the Journal of Law and the Biosciences, we examine whether current U.S. regulations adequately protect consumers using direct-to-consumer microbiome tests. Our findings highlight significant gaps in oversight and raise concerns about test validity, consumer harm, and the responsible translation of microbiome science into clinical and commercial practice.

The results of the VIBRANT Clinical Trial Phase 1 show promising success. CAMRI scientists, Dr. Jacques Ravel and Dr. Michael France, played a significant role in the creation of this study.