Martin Publishes in Nature on Gut Microbes That Traveled with Humans Out of Africa to the Americas and Are Disappearing in Industrialized Populations
Posted: 2026-10-14 14:01:49 (CSDE Research)
CSDE affiliate Melanie Martin (Associate Professor, Anthropology) and colleagues published new research in Nature showing that many gut microbes travelled with humans as they migrated out of Africa and into the Americas, and that industrialized populations are now losing these microbes. The team sequenced gut microbiomes from Tsimane forager-horticulturalists in Bolivia and compared them with those of Hadza hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. Although the ancestors of these two groups separated tens of thousands of years ago, they share nearly 90% of their gut microbial species–the majority of which are rare or absent in people living in industrialized societies. The loss of these species may matter for population health, since gut microbial composition has been linked to chronic metabolic and inflammatory diseases.
Martin collected the data through her work with the Tsimane Health and Life History Project, an anthropological collaboration with Tsimane communities that has run for more than two decades. The research further illustrates how fieldwork, long-term community partnership, and interdisciplinary collaboration make high-impact biomedical science possible. Read the full article and the accompanying Nature News & Views summary: Gut microbes that trace ancient human journeys. Congratulations Dr. Martin!