“Interaction of the vaginal viral and bacterial communities in South African Women”
Country of Study
South Africa
Institution
University of Cape Town
Expected Year of Completion
2025
Thematic Area
Health and Life Sciences
Education
Adijat’s PhD thesis is in Clinical Science and Immunology. She holds an MSc in Industrial Microbiology from the University of Ibadan and is set to complete her PhD studies at the University of Cape Town in 2025.
Research Summary
Adijat’s research focuses on understanding the interactions between vaginal viruses and bacterial communities in pregnant women living with HIV (PWLHIV) and women affected by bacterial vaginosis (BV). Despite advances in HIV care, PWLHIV remain vulnerable to poor pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth and infant health complications. For women with BV, this condition not only increases risks of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but is also associated with adverse birth outcomes. BV is characterized by the depletion of beneficial Lactobacillus species like L. crispatus, and an overgrowth of non-optimal bacteria such as Gardnerella vaginalis. Standard of care treatment regimens for BV has limited success with high recurrence rates, and this remains a clinical challenge.
Her work aims to characterize the vaginal viral-bacterial dynamics in PWLHIV and also investigate how temperate bacteriophages within vaginal bacteria may activate under potential stressors such as drug exposure, its role in potentially disrupting microbial balance and contributing to BV recurrence. By using metagenomic sequencing, bioinformatics, and in vitro experimental approaches (e.g. phage induction), Adijat’s research aims to uncover the interactions between vaginal bacteria and viruses. Insights gained from this study could lay a foundation for developing safer therapeutics to improve female reproductive health and maternal outcomes for African women.
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