Unraveling the role of the Microbiome and Inflammation on CervicalSquamousIntraepitheliallesions on an Hispanic Cohort, Using a Multi-Omics Approach

The female reproductive tract is known to be the least diverse microbial ecosystem of the human body. Lactobacillus are characteristically dominant on “normal” healthy vagina. Growth of non-indigenous microorganisms is restricted by these healthy populations. Sexually transmitted Infections promotes changes in the normal microbiota. These changes in microbiota are also known as dysbiosis. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the most common STI worldwide., and some of its strains are known as the etiological agents of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women globally and the 2nd leading cause of death in women of developing countries. We are collecting cervical lavages from patients to able to characterize the host response (cytokine profiling), the metabolic and proteomic milieu of the cervix and correlate these with the microbiota. By combining these multiple data, we will have the ability to assess the functional host-microbiome response and correlate it with specific stages in the cervical cancer development and microorganisms.