19 Jan 2022

Microbes at the Nexus of Environmental, Biological, and Social Research

Explore the critical role of microbes at the intersection of ecological, biological, and social systems

In this talk the interconnected roles that microbes play across diverse systems are discussed, including the environment, human biology, and social structures. The talk focuses on how microbial communities are integral to ecological balance, human health, and even social equity. By examining these connections, the need for interdisciplinary research is highlighted that considers the impact of microbes on ecosystems and human communities, emphasizing how a better understanding of microbiomes can address societal challenges like health disparities and environmental sustainability.

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Dr. Sue Ishaq is an Assistant Professor of Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Maine, in the School of Food and Agriculture. She received her doctorate in Animal, Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Vermont in 2015 where her graduate study focused on identifying the microbes in the rumen stomach of the moose and if they could be used to make probiotics for lambs. She held two post-doctoral positions at Montana State University, one in data analysis of host microbial communities and the other identifying the soil microbes associated with what fields under different climate change conditions. From there she held an assistant research professor position at the University of Oregon investing the microbial communities found in buildings. She established her lab at UMaine in 2019, where her research group focuses on host-associated microbial communities in animals and humans. In addition to her research and teaching on animal microbes, Dr. Ishaq is the founder of the Microbes and Social Equity working group. This group formed to examine, publicize and promote a research program on the reciprocal impact of social inequality and microbiomes, both human and environmental.