Hello, my name is Jessica Martin! In 2016, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. This is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The years that followed included medical appointments, treatments, and surgeries to manage the disease. These experiences sparked my interest in the gastrointestinal system and inspired me to study the gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract.
That interest eventually grew into an academic path. I am now a Ph.D. candidate in Biological Anthropology at Boston University and a U.S. Fulbright Research Fellow. I have spent the past two summers in South Africa developing field and laboratory methods for gut microbiome research. South Africa offers a unique setting for this work because wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) eat a wide variety of foods that change with the seasons, habitats, and human activity. Over the next twelve months, I will conduct research in the Free State, Northern Cape, and North West provinces to examine how diet, seasonality, and disease influence the gut microbiome of vervet monkeys and how these changes affect gastrointestinal health.
I am SUPER excited to share my research journey in South Africa and cannot wait to hear how your school year unfolds!
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
