2023 Henri Boulard Award Winner Pr. E. Ibezim

What is the relationship between your project and Microbiota?

The microbiota consists of a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms present in a singular envrironment such as the human digestive tract. The human gut hosts trillions of such microbes. Our project is aimed at modulating and moderating the type of organisms that would enter the microbiota of the human body, especially the gut area, so as to ensure healthiness and well being. This would be accomplished by screening out pathogenic organisms that would dare enter the body system through drinking water.

How can the project improve children’s health in Nigeria?

Majority of diseases afflicting children in Nigeria are water - borne. These include infections by Escherichia coli, Giardia, Cyclospora spp., Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), Hot Tub Rash (Pseudomonas dermatitis/folliculitis), Shigella and Legionella. These water-borne diseases are associated with different symptoms, including diarrhoea, vomitting, as well as skin, ear, respiratory or eye problems, which are very discomforting to children and can even lead to death. The filtration unit we are proposing would help in a great dimension to filter out these potential pathogenic organisms that cause such water- borne infections in children. Children are naturally more prone to infection as their immune system is not as strong and established as that of the typical adult. Our project would therefore help to ensure availability of clean and safe drinking water for the teeming Nigerian children, which would help to preclude the risk of contaminations and subsequent infections.

How the Henri Boulard Award will help our team to perform the project?

The Award will greatly assist us in prosecuting and executing the project. The fund will help us in procurement of the relevant equipment like high speed mechanical stirrer, water analyzer and muffle furnace for preparation and analysis of the filtration candle for water filtration. The fund will additionally assist in the purchase of the relevant raw materials, reagents and consumables like sodium hydroxide, sodium aluminate, membrane filters, Petri dishes, microbiological media etc., needed for the project. The award will also help in payment of allowances for the researchers and research assistants as well as in transportation and data analysis.