Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, inaugurated the second edition of the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) Microbiome Conference 2026 on Saturday in Doha, focusing on recent developments in microbiome science and their implications for healthcare. The conference's theme, “From Biomarkers Discovery to Microbiota-based Therapeutics,” highlighted the potential of microbiome research to enhance disease prevention and treatment, with particular emphasis on women’s and children’s health, precision nutrition, and therapeutic innovation.
The first day concentrated on how the microbiome affects reproductive health, pregnancy outcomes, and early infant development. Key presentations by conference co-chairs Dr. Souhaila al-Khodor and Dr. Annalisa Terranegra examined microbial genomics in maternal and child health, underscoring the influence of the maternal microbiome on infant microbial development during the first 1,000 days of life. They also discussed the role of the breast milk microbiome in infant health and the effects of pregnancy complications on early immune-microbiome interactions.
A significant announcement was the launch of QMicrobe, Qatar’s first dedicated pediatric donor stool bank aimed at advancing therapeutic microbiome research. Led by Dr. al-Khodor, the initiative will integrate screened donor samples, clinical assessments, metagenomic sequencing, and computational analysis to identify microorganisms with therapeutic potential. Supported by funding from the Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council and the Ministry of Public Health, QMicrobe intends to establish standardized research protocols and foster collaboration among healthcare providers, academic institutions, and biotechnology sectors.
Dr. al-Khodor, director of the Reproductive and Perinatal Health Translational Research Programme at Sidra Medicine, stated that the program will provide a valuable resource for studying microbial functions relevant to metabolic disorders, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, infections, and certain neurodevelopmental conditions. The project collaborates with Dr. Majdi Osman, a physician scientist from Cambridge University, who presented on faecal microbiota transplantation and emerging microbial therapies, exploring current clinical applications and hurdles in developing microbiome-based treatments.
QMicrobe’s initial phase will focus on building research infrastructure and demonstrating feasibility, with aspirations to support the future development of microbiome-based therapies and clinical studies in Qatar. The initiative also aims to generate data that reflects the country’s diverse population.
In addition, Sidra Medicine presented a new study investigating how maternal dietary fat intake during pregnancy affects a child’s brain development and the potential risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Led by Dr. Terranegra in partnership with Oxford University’s Wellcome – Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, the study is funded by the Waterloo Foundation in the UK. Dr. Terranegra noted that neurodevelopmental conditions are a significant public health concern in Qatar and that this research aligns with the Qatar Foundation’s Autism Strategy 2025–35 by focusing on prevention and early identification through modifiable factors like maternal nutrition.