Hacking Epidemics: Unlocking The Drivers of Transmission Seasonality to Battle Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Project Narrative This study will investigate seasonal changes in the microbiome and immune system and will contribute to public health knowledge by introducing new data regarding how the immune system and gut change through time, potentially influencing susceptibility and/or responses to disease. If there are unique compositions of the microbiome and immune response each season, these discoveries may inform the use of therapeutics and the optimal timing of seasonal vaccination. The knowledge gained from this study will not only inform global health but will also allow us to gain fundamental information about how seasonal environmental conditions (e.g., weather, seasonal infections, sunlight, etc.) may impact our internal physiology.