Twenty Important Research Questions in Microbial Exposure and Social Equity
Jake M. Robinson,
Nicole Redvers,
Araceli Camargo,
Christina A. Bosch,
Martin F. Breed,
Lisa A. Brenner,
Megan A. Carney,
Ashvini Chauhan,
Mauna Dasari,
Leslie G. Dietz,
Michael Friedman,
Laura Grieneisen,
Andrew J. Hoisington,
Patrick F. Horve,
Ally Hunter,
Sierra Jech,
Anna Jorgensen,
Christopher A. Lowry,
Ioana Man,
Gwynne Mhuireach,
Edauri Navarro-Pérez,
Euan G. Ritchie,
Justin D. Stewart,
Harry Watkins,
Philip Weinstein,
Suzanne L. Ishaq
Affiliations
Jake M. Robinson
University of Sheffield, Department of Landscape Architecture, Sheffield, United Kingdom
Nicole Redvers
Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
Araceli Camargo
Centric Lab, London, United Kingdom
Christina A. Bosch
Department of Literacy, Early, Bilingual and Special Education, Kremen School of Education and Human Development, California State University, Fresno, California, USA
Martin F. Breed
College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
Lisa A. Brenner
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Megan A. Carney
School of the Environment, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Ashvini Chauhan
University of Arizona, School of Anthropology and Center for Regional Food Studies, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Mauna Dasari
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
Leslie G. Dietz
University of Oregon, Biology and the Built Environment Center, Eugene, Oregon, USA
Michael Friedman
American International College of Arts and Sciences of Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda, West Indies
Laura Grieneisen
Department of Genetics, Cell, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Andrew J. Hoisington
Department of System & Engineering Management, Dayton, Ohio, USA
Patrick F. Horve
University of Oregon, Institute of Molecular Biology, Eugene, Oregon, USA
Ally Hunter
Department of Student Development, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Sierra Jech
University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Anna Jorgensen
Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
Christopher A. Lowry
Department of Integrative Physiology, Center for Neuroscience, and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Ioana Man
Architectural Association School of Architecture, London, United Kingdom
Gwynne Mhuireach
Department of Architecture, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
Edauri Navarro-Pérez
Program of Environmental Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
Euan G. Ritchie
School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
Justin D. Stewart
Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Harry Watkins
St. Andrews Botanic Garden, Canongate, St. Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
Philip Weinstein
School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Suzanne L. Ishaq
University of Maine, School of Food and Agriculture, Orono, Maine, USA
ABSTRACT Social and political policy, human activities, and environmental change affect the ways in which microbial communities assemble and interact with people. These factors determine how different social groups are exposed to beneficial and/or harmful microorganisms, meaning microbial exposure has an important socioecological justice context. Therefore, greater consideration of microbial exposure and social equity in research, planning, and policy is imperative. Here, we identify 20 research questions considered fundamentally important to promoting equitable exposure to beneficial microorganisms, along with safeguarding resilient societies and ecosystems. The 20 research questions we identified span seven broad themes, including the following: (i) sociocultural interactions; (ii) Indigenous community health and well-being; (iii) humans, urban ecosystems, and environmental processes; (iv) human psychology and mental health; (v) microbiomes and infectious diseases; (vi) human health and food security; and (vii) microbiome-related planning, policy, and outreach. Our goal was to summarize this growing field and to stimulate impactful research avenues while providing focus for funders and policymakers.
