Science Meets Community: Sama Ayoub Shares Gut-Brain Research with Autism Families
Article By: Sama ayoub
Sama and Dr. Bendriss have worked together on an innovative study that contrasts the health advantages and probiotic quality of locally produced Qatari yoghurts with those of commercially imported goods. Their study assesses the probiotic content, antimicrobial qualities, antibiotic resistance, and acidity resistance of the yoghurts. Ayoub is the first author of the first study published in 2023, that analyzed the probiotic content of yogurts produced in Qatar and proposed a method to enhance their probiotic properties.
Ayoub had direct interactions with families, educators, and autism specialists at Autism Connect 2024. She summarized the study's main ideas, stressing the significance of gut health for neurodevelopment and recent discoveries in the gut-brain axis research. Her demonstration of how to make homemade probiotic yoghurt with locally available ingredients captivated the attention of the visitors.
Reflecting on the experience, Ayoub shared:
The Child Development Centre (CDC) for Individuals with Special Needs organized the event “Autism Connect 2024”, a community-focused event in which Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) took part. The yearly event aims to educate, raise awareness, and empower the autism community.
Sama Ayoub, a second-year pre-med student, attended the event on behalf of the university under the mentorship of Dr. Ghizlane Bendriss, an assistant professor of biology at WCM-Q. Together, they offered findings about the connection between neurodevelopmental conditions, especially autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and gut microbiota.
“Working on this paper and presenting it at the event was an enriching experience. The study highlights the need to raise awareness about the gut-brain axis and its impact on autism, a connection that may not be immediately apparent. Speaking with parents of children on the autism spectrum about current research advances, the importance of gut health, and how it can be managed with probiotic-rich foods, such as homemade yogurt, was particularly fulfilling. I believe this field holds great promise, with much more research to be done for the benefit of the autism community. My research journey has been enriching, and I am excited to continue exploring this area.”
These conferences serve as more than just places to present research; they are also settings where patients, doctors, and families can develop a stronger sense of community. They put the human experience at the center of healthcare by promoting discussions that go beyond clinical results. These meetings enable emotional connection, shared understanding, and a shared commitment to more compassionate, patient-centered care by bringing together a variety of voices. In these situations, medicine becomes a shared journey between carer givers, families, and the people they serve, rather than merely a science.