Presenter: Emma Jin Dattis

Faculty Sponsor: Opeyemi Odewale

School: Quinsigamond Community College

Research Area: Biology

Session: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM, Auditorium, A13

ABSTRACT

The microorganisms that reside the body—specifically in the gut region—are collectively known as the human gut microbiota. This vast and complex community, made up of trillions of microbes, plays a crucial role in supporting and maintaining overall health. It is unsurprising that this gut-microbiome is easily influenced by many external factors, including more commonly known and powerful factors such as diet, lifestyle, medications such as antibiotics, and environmental factors which in turn affect physical and emotional activity. However, there are other, lesser-known external factors that people interact with daily can also influence the gut-microbiome in the same ways more powerful factors do. Ever wonder why certain music can boost one’s mood, or why the people a person interacts with more seem to resemble them, or even why people of the same ethnic background, even while in the same geographical location, are so different from one another? These questions have scientific answers, and these answers have to do with a person’s easily influenced gut-microbiome. Three surprising external factors — music exposure, a person’s social networks, and ethnic background — can significantly shape an individual’s gut-microbiome by increasing beneficial bacteria and reducing harmful bacteria, ultimately influencing digestion, immune function, and even mental health. Together, they highlight that the gut-microbiome is not just shaped by diet and genetics alone, but is also deeply connected to cultural, social, and environmental experiences, emphasizing the complex relationship between lifestyle and human health.