[DIYbio] Studying the Transbiome

Hey folks,
I wanted to share a citizen & open science project that we're just launching and which I think might be of interest for you: The Transbiome study! https://en.goteo.org/project/transbiome 

Some background on this: Clara, a master student in our lab, has designed a community-driven research study into the microbial diversity found in trans women's neo-vagina. It's a topic that hasn't been studied so far and it's a big barrier for trans women to get adequate gynecological care due to a lack of basic knowledge. As a trans woman who wants to become a gynecologist after her Master's it's a project that comes from a lot of personal drive! Unfortunately, we don't have any academic funding at this point to help finance the materials & services needed to make this study happen. That's why we've just launched a crowdfunding campaign for this project for which we would need your help. Every contribution counts, no matter how small.

I fully understand if during this time you can't contribute financially. If that's the case and you want to help us in a different way: Please share the campaign more widely with your networks, on social media etc: https://en.goteo.org/project/transbiome  

Last but not least: Our aim is to analyze 50 samples, so if you're interested in participating, check out the campaign page for more information on that too!

Thanks so much, 
Bastian