Prof. Sarah Lebeer, PhD, is an ISAPP Board Member and Professor of Microbiology and Biotechnology at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. Her research focuses on probiotics, postbiotics, fermented foods, live biotherapeutic products and the molecular mechanisms through which beneficial microbes interact with their hosts. She has made pioneering contributions to microbiome science, advancing both fundamental understanding and translational applications of beneficial microorganisms, with a particular impact on women’s health. Through the award-winning Isala citizen-science platform and its international sisterhood network, she has engaged thousands of participants worldwide to accelerate research and innovation in the vaginal microbiome. She founded the U-MaMi Centre of Excellence, a multidisciplinary initiative that unites microbiologists with clinicians from primary care, gynecology, ENT medicine, and pediatrics to advance microbiome research, health equity, and societal impact. Her work bridges microbiology, biotechnology, engineering, and citizen science to develop microbiome-based solutions for human and planetary health.