A scientific ‘sisterhood’ explores the microbial mysteries of the vagina

Half the planet has a vagina, but scientific knowledge about this genital organ is still limited. So much so that we don’t even know precisely which microbes populate the vaginal ecosystem of a healthy woman, or how this microbiome influences health and disease. In an opinion article published on Thursday in the journal Trends in Microbiology (from the Cell Press group), a scientific sisterhood has spotlighted these gaps in knowledge, diving into the microbial mysteries that still surround the female reproductive system. The researchers, part of the Isala Sisterhood consortium, criticize the disparity in research in this area and warn of the urgent need to understand what constitutes a healthy microbiome in these organs.

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