Microbes live in ecosystems shaped by people, culture, and place. In this talk, Dr Egleé Zent and Dr Melissa Melby explore how microbial life is understood, shared, and valued across different knowledge systems. Dr Zent draws on decades of work with Indigenous communities in the Amazon and Andes, showing how microbes are part of wider ecological and cultural relationships. Dr Melby brings insights from medical anthropology and microbiome research, looking at how public perceptions of microbes influence health behaviours, policy, and science communication. Together, they offer a relational view of microbial life, one that bridges traditional ecological knowledge and modern microbiome science. Their work invites us to rethink the role of microbes in both planetary and personal health, and how equity, culture, and environment shape who benefits from microbiological understanding.
Professor Melissa Melby
