Investigating associations between maternal microbiome and micronutrient status

Micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy are a major global health concern, yet their impact on gut microbial structure and function remains largely unexplored. We aim to fill this gap by studying associations between micronutrient status, particularly iron, and the gut microbiome, using 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomic sequencing data from a large Bangladeshi pregnancy cohort. In addition to characterizing bacterial community composition, we will be investigating the role of bacteriophages in modulating microbial ecology under iron-deficient and sufficient states.