Our Team
We have assembled a complementary, interdisciplinary team with internationally recognised expertise in microbiome science, nutrition, medical anthropology, and qualitative research.

Prof Debby Bogaert
Debby is Chair of Paediatric Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, a clinician-scientist and a global leader in microbiome research. She led pioneering cohort studies on microbiome development, environmental and nutritional drivers of microbial resilience, and microbiome–host interactions related to health and disease, including in vulnerable populations. Her expertise spans molecular epidemiology, metagenomics and bioinformatics. She will coordinate the project and take responsibility for the microbiome component of the project.

Dr Sean McLaughlin
Sean is a qualitative researcher with interdisciplinary expertise bridging biomedical, clinical, and social sciences. His background includes bioinformatics, molecular surveillance, medical anthropology, and bioethics. He brings strong skills in qualitative methodology, community engagement, Personal and Public Involvement, and medical education, particularly within the context of diet and microbiome in Scotland. He will lead the PPI activities of the study, developing the Citizen Science component, and co-ordinate the qualitative research.

Dr Lauraine Vivian
Lauraine is a medical anthropologist with long-standing expertise in ethnography, cross-cultural health research, and interdisciplinary project leadership. She has led major fieldwork programmes in Africa and has extensive experience in qualitative research, research governance, and culturally grounded engagement. Her long-standing role on the Human Research Ethics Committee in the Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Cape Town, and as a Fogarty Fellow teaching Medical Ethics to students from across Africa, provides considerable expertise to our project.