mSystems (Oct 2021)

Chasing Ghosts: Race, Racism, and the Future of Microbiome Research

  • Travis J. De Wolfe,
  • Mohammed Rafi Arefin,
  • Amber Benezra,
  • María Rebolleda Gómez

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00604-21
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 5

Abstract

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In this article, we argue that a careful examination of human microbiome science’s relationship with race and racism is necessary to foster equitable social and ecological relations in the field. We point to the origins and evolution of the problematic use of race in microbiome literature by demonstrating the increased usage of race both explicitly and implicitly in and beyond the human microbiome sciences.