The Concept of Microbiome Stewardship (Focus on Host Microbiomes)

In this foundational talk, Dr Kieran O’Doherty introduces the concept of microbiome stewardship — a framework for protecting microbial ecosystems essential to human and planetary health. Grounded in collective ethics, his presentation outlines the urgent need for social and policy-based action, guiding principles for implementation, and challenges of integrating microbiomes into environmental governance. Drawing from interdisciplinary research and real-world case studies, this talk calls for collaborative efforts to rethink how we live with microbes.