Honorary researcher at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and current chair of the H3Africa’s Microbiome Task Force.

Visiting researcher at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and a member of the H3Africa’s Microbiome Task Force.

Soumaya Kouidhi, PhD, HDR is an Associate Professor at the University of Manouba, Tunisia, specializing in microbiome, precision medicine and translational research. Her work focuses on microbiome–host interactions in cancer, transplantation and chronic diseases, integrating multi-omics and AI. She is co-chair of the African Microbiome Science Initiative (AMSIG), promoting collaborative and equitable microbiome research across Africa.

Head Molecular and Cancer Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology. Member H3Africa’s Microbiome Task Force.

Dr. Modupe Coker serves as the Assistant Dean of Clinical and Translational Research, Director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR), and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Basic and Translational Sciences at the School of Dental Medicine (Penn Dental Medicine), University of Pennsylvania. Her work focuses on the microbiome and its relationship with early-life infections, behavioral factors, and environmental influences on oral and dental health. Her work not only seeks to advance scientific understanding but also to translate research findings into practical solutions that benefit populations and communities.”

Postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Basic and Translational Science, Penn Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. His research applies multi-omics approaches to investigate how shifts in the oral and gut microbiomes during early-life infections influence immune function and disease susceptibility.

Genomics PhD student in the Host–Microbiota Interactions Lab at Wellcome Sanger Institute. His research investigates the gut microbiomes of children from Africa and South Asia to identify beneficial bacteria with therapeutic potential.