Dr. Muhammad Shahzad has been awarded a competitive research grant by the National Institute of Health - NIH. The study aims to longitudinally assess gut microbiota development and associated factors (maternal, child, and demographic) during early childhood in populations residing in malnutrition-endemic communities in Pakistan. A prospective cohort of mother-infant pairs (n=70) will be recruited from District Swat, Pakistan, and followed for two years.
Principal Investigator Dr. Muhammad Shahzad expressed gratitude to NIH for supporting this work, noting that the findings will help researchers understand gut microbiota development, associated factors, and their impact on longitudinal growth in infants during the first two years of life.