Matrona Akiso: Advancing Women’s Health through Vaginal Microbiome Research, using the MiSeq i100

When the Vaginal Microbiome is not properly studied, women remain at risk of recurrent infections, infertility, poor pregnancy outcomes, and higher vulnerability to HIV and other STIs. Matrona Akiso, Clinical Researcher – Immunology at KAVI Institute of Clinical Research, takes us through her research project focusing on female genital tract. “The composition of microbial communities varies among women, and these differences can directly influence the integrity of the vaginal environment — the body’s first line of defense against pathogens,” says Matrona. She further shares how the MiSeq™ i100 Plus is changing that — enabling faster, more reliable, and flexible sequencing for critical microbiome studies. Her perspective underscores how Next-Generation Sequencing is not only accelerating research but also shaping the future of microbiome science in Africa.