Microbiome Sciences
Millions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi inhabit the female reproductive tract. This rich community known as the reproductive microbiome plays a critical role in women’s health. For example, some preterm births are believed to be cause by ascending infections from the vagina. Conversely, certain characteristics of the microbiome have been shown to protect against various conditions including yeast infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. By expanding our understanding of the reproductive microbiome and its role in disease, researchers can accelerate the development of new therapies in women’s health.
Our research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center seeks to untangle the complex relationships between the microbiome and a variety of gynecologic and obstetric conditions. Using cutting-edge technology, such as next-generation DNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, our researchers profile the microbiome at high-resolution, distinguishing even highly similar strains within a single bacterial species. We then apply state-of-the-art techniques, including machine learning models, to investigate microbial influences on health and disease. Recent findings, for example, demonstrated that foreign molecules (xenobiotics) found in the vagina are strongly associated with preterm birth, and that molecular measurement from this system are predictive of preterm birth 3 months in advance. Currently, our faculty are investigating links between the reproductive microbiome and bacterial vaginosis, endometriosis, adverse pregnancy outcomes including preeclampsia and preterm birth, and cervical remodeling (mechanical changes to the cervix) during pregnancy.