Indigenous Communities and Human Microbiome Research

说明(申请人提供)：本项目是关于古代和当代人类微生物群研究对土著人民的社会和祖先特性的影响的调查。它将与美国南部平原(阿帕契族、卡多族和基奥瓦族)和秘鲁安第斯地区(艾马拉、盖丘亚族和乌罗斯后裔社区)的土著社区接触。社区成员将参加焦点小组、个人调查访谈和公开会议，讨论与环境、生活方式和文化差异有关的人类微生物群的地方差异可能对健康差异、人口历史以及社会和祖先身份产生影响的方式。当地社区还将参与讨论如何利用一些成员的当代样本进行符合伦理和文化的微生物组研究。公共卫生相关性：该项目将促进我们对社会和祖先特征与生物学之间关系的理解，并开发一个让土著社区参与人类微生物群研究的模式。这两个目标都将有助于缩小有剥削历史以及经济和政治劣势的人口的健康差距。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project is an investigation of the implications of research on ancient and contemporary human microbiomes for the social and ancestral identities of indigenous people. It will engage indigenous communities on the U.S. Southern Plains (Apache, Caddo, and Kiowa nations) and in the Andean region of Peru (Aymara, Quechua and Uros-descended communities). Community members will take part in focus groups, individual survey interviews, and public meetings to discuss the ways in which local variations in human microbiomes related to differences in environment, lifestyle and culture may have implications for health disparities, population histories, and social and ancestral identities. Local communities also will be engaged in discussions about how to conduct ethically and culturally appropriate microbiome research using contemporary samples from some members. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project will advance our understanding of the relationship between social and ancestral identities and biology as well as develop a model for engaging indigenous communities in human microbiome studies. Both those goals will contribute to reducing health disparities in populations with histories of exploitation and economic and political disadvantages.