Microbiota Vault Initiative President Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello directs the program. They are helping to preserve the world’s diverse collection of valuable microbes. A passionate group of scientists originally launched this initiative in 2018. To achieve this, they took inspiration from the Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway, which safeguards seeds in order to preserve global genetic diversity. The Microbiota Vault seeks to save essential microbial life forms, vital for both human health and environmental stability, amidst growing concerns about their decline.
In the initiative’s two years of existence, it has grown tremendously, now involving more than 100 researchers from 32 countries. Since then, they have been cooperating to collect a total of more than 2,000 fecal samples. They collected samples of fermented foods from each of the sampled countries. This extensive database aims to serve as a repository for healthy microbes that could be crucial for future restoration efforts.
A Global Collaboration for Microbial Preservation
Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. She’s a faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology. Under her leadership, the initiative has focused on ethical collaboration and depositor sovereignty. This helps make sure researchers from across the world can evenly engage in this lofty endeavor.
We developed the microbial vault to meet that urgent need. This is an important step in protecting against potential microbiome loss of the greatest significance.
Environmental microbiomes do vital work controlling our climate, especially ones located in sensitive ecosystems such as Arctic permafrost. Dominguez-Bello noted, “The Microbiota Vault Initiative represents a proactive effort to protect and preserve the microbial life that is essential for the health of our planet and its inhabitants.”
As the initiative continues, it hopes to find a joined and supported permanent vault site, possibly within an institution. Switzerland, Canada, and other frigid countries and regions are potential sites. This operational change is a calculated strategic decision to continue the best possible care for these precious microbial specimens while increasing accessibility for researchers around the globe.
The Threat to Microbiomes
Martin Blaser is one of the most visible advocates of the initiative. He is currently Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome at Rutgers University. He comes to the project with a depth of national experience. As a professor of medicine and pathology, and laboratory medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, he’s well qualified. Blaser emphasizes the urgency of preserving microbiomes, stating, “The microbiome is under big threat, a threat that is in many ways analogous to climate change.”
Blaser imagines a day when science can develop sure restorative measures. He expressed optimism about what lies ahead: “We believe that one day the science will improve sufficiently so that we will have really good restorative techniques.” At the same time, he warned about what could happen if we lose important microbial species. “But if it is too late, and key members of the [microbiome] are gone, like the dodo bird, we can’t restore them unless we have them safely stored away,” he added.
What makes this initiative truly special is its commitment to long-term preservation. Blaser remarked, “It’s very much a long-term project because maybe 100 years from now, having saved these microbes could prevent a major disaster.” That kind of foresight is what motivates the urgency and significance behind this global effort.
Ethical Framework and Future Prospects
The Microbiota Vault Initiative is growing by leaps and bounds. It centers on the creation of a shared ethical framework that encourages and sustains equitable collaboration between scientists around the world. Dominguez-Bello reiterates this commitment, stating, “We are absolutely committed to developing the Microbiota Vault in a way that maximizes equity around the world.”
By global collaboration and ethical governance, Rutgers University assumes a pivotal responsibility and leadership role in protecting Earth’s microbial heritage. The collective efforts of researchers not only aim to protect existing microbiomes but enhance understanding of their functions and implications for human health and environmental stability.