HSEM2606H: Microbiomes and Society

The microbiome - the communities of microbes living in humans, plants, animals, and the environment, plays indispensable roles in the way they function. This relationship, rooted in the origin of life, has played a role in every aspect of our biology and the way we interact with the specific environment we live in. We live in a globalized, highly- interconnected world; now, more than ever, it is easier to expose ourselves to different cultures, places, and peoples; please join me in a journey beyond our borders to understand how different global perspectives help us learn more about ourselves and our society in the current world order, all thorough a microbiome lens. In this class, we will travel to different places around the world to discuss how a microbiomes provide us with a unique lens to understand diverse societies and cultures. From the moment we evolved as humans, to the origin of the first civilizations, we will learn how microbes have been involved in the most complex global social issues, including public health, global politics, and social justice.

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