Microbiome researcher consults on “Microbirth” documentary

AllerGen investigator Anita Kozyrskyj is a contributor to “Microbirth”—a new documentary that examines how modern birth practices may be interfering with the “seeding” of a baby’s microbiome.

The documentary interviews prominent scientists from the UK and North America about the importance of the transfer of good bacteria from mother to baby at birth, and the link between the way babies are born and health in later life, particularly the increased risk of children developing asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Dr. Kozyrskyj is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta and Co-Principal Investigator of a $2.5 million research project titled Synergy in Microbiota Research (SyMBIOTA). SyMBIOTA uses data from AllerGen’s CHILD Study to look at the makeup of the infant microbiome and how variations in this internal ecosystem affect health and disease later in life.

“Microbirth” premieres Saturday, September 20, 2014 in public screenings around the world.