Jeddah, November 01, 2023, The "Trends in Microbiome and Digital One Health" conference, featuring 35 international speakers, underscored the significance of microbiome science in everyday life, its potential to address global challenges, and its relevance to space research. Hosted by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) from October 30 to November 1, the conference emphasized the application of digital and computer tools in monitoring microbial epidemics.
This approach aligns with the One Health concept, representing collaborative efforts across various sectors to enhance individual health, control epidemics, and reduce infectious diseases stemming from animals, food, and the environment.
Princess Mashael Saud Al-Shalan, co-founder of the Aeon Strategy firm, highlighted the conference's objective of utilizing digital technologies to revolutionize the healthcare sector. This includes accelerating biomedical research, improving health education, and advancing precision medicine to promote the digital One Health concept for managing and preventing disease outbreaks.
Dr. Sulaiman Alajel, the executive director of SFDA Reference Laboratories and co-chair of the conference, discussed the pivotal role of microbial communities in areas such as healthcare, food production, and environmental restoration, benefiting individuals and communities worldwide.
Alexandre Soares Rosado, a Bioscience professor at KAUST and co-chair of the conference, emphasized the event's role in uniting influential international and local scientists. This collaboration aims to stimulate microbiome science in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the interconnectedness of microbes with all living organisms and ecosystems on Earth, in line with the One Health concept.
