The morning of the Isala launch, 24 March 2020… I remember it vividly, as if it were yesterday. After a year and lots of preparations, it was almost unbelievable that the big day had finally arrived. Were we really about to launch? After many people doubted that we could find 200 women willing to donate a vaginal sample? Right in the middle of the pandemic? They called us ‘crazy’ and ‘very ambitious’ and wished us good luck. Fast forward 10 days… We had over 6000 registrations and even had to close off the recruitment call. Now, here we are, more than 4 years later…
The Isala dream team is a reality! We now have over 10 Isala team members, each bringing their own talents, interests, and research ideas. We have not only mapped the vaginal microbiome of healthy women in Belgium, but also studied how different lifestyle and environmental factors affect the vaginal microbiome (read more). But we did not stop there: we have grown beneficial bacteria, such as lactobacilli, in our lab and are exploring their therapeutic potential to promote health. Along the way, we try to break taboos, empower women to take their health into their own hands, educate the general public about the microbiome, and promote interdisciplinary research and citizen science.
And we are just getting started! Behind the scenes (and in our lab), we are working tirelessly every day to uncover the mysteries of the vaginal microbiome and strive for better health for all women. Seeing our Isala project grow so much over the past few years has always given me such a great feeling as I passed on the torch. Meanwhile, our growth has been amazing, spreading to nearly 20 countries with Isala sister projects; to more inclusive projects and collaborations (such as our Rufaida Ramadan study); unique research lines such as the use of microbiome research in sexual violence cases (read more about GeneDoe); unique collaborations (read more about Volupta breast cancer research); and now to five brand-new daughter studies on vitamins, menstrual products, the menstrual cycle, family relationships and vaginal infections!
It’s an honor to work with our Isala team, international sisterhood, advisory board, and especially wonderful participants towards a shared goal: better health for all women. I’m looking forward to many more happy Isala years 🙂
What a great honour to be nominated for the EOS Pipet award! What exactly is this ‘EOS Pipet Prize’? Well, this is a prize awarded every year by EOS and the Young Academy to a young, promising researcher. It would be super cool if I could receive the 2024 EOS Pipet award and you can help me with this! It only takes a minute of your time. Vote now! 🙂