This is a part of the 2021 4-H Summer Learning Series.
The digestive tracts of humans and animals are filled with microbes – many of them help us digest our food and provide nutrients to keep us healthy. The foods we eat attract different microbes, and a healthy diet can help attract the most helpful microbes. This presentation will teach about the effect of diet on microbes and health, in humans versus cows. The at-home activity will teach some of the ways scientists research microbes – you can even learn to grow your own microbial culture!
Dr. Sue Ishaq, Assistant Professor of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, joined the University of Maine faculty in fall 2019. The Ishaq lab focuses on the community of microbes in the gut of animals, and particularly in ruminants, both wild and domestic. Science is still trying to understand microbes and how they affect the health of animals. Our goals are to increase our understanding of microbial communities involved with animals, and particularly in agricultural settings, and to improve the sustainability of agriculture to promote the health of our natural environments. Registration deadline: July 7.
Open to Maine youth ages 12 & up
Maximum 30 attendees
