Egi Vasil is a PhD Candidate in the Microbiome and Host Health Lab at Flinders University, where her research explores the connection between the gut microbiome and bone health, with a particular focus on perimenopause and ageing. With a background in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary, Egi’s academic journey has combined her interests in musculoskeletal health and the gut-bone axis. Guided by her passion for improving quality of life across the lifespan, she is working to advance understanding in an area that has historically been under-researched.

What is your role and what does your work focus on?
I am a Ph.D. Candidate in the Microbiome and Host Health Lab researching the connection between the microbiome and bone health with a particular focus on perimenopause and older age.

Where did you work and / or study before joining CMPH / Flinders?
Before coming to Flinders I finished a B.Sc.H. at the University of Calgary in Kinesiology with my honours project focusing on bone health and physical activity in kids with arthritis.

What inspired you to pursue a career in your current field, and how has your passion evolved over time?
During my undergraduate degree, guest lecturer Dr. Patricia Lopez introduced me to the gut microbiome as a modifiable influencer of health and also as the next frontier of medical discrimination if researchers weren’t careful with their cohorts and generalisations around sex, race, and socioeconomics. Around the same time, I was doing my honours with Dr. Leigh Gabel, who emphasised the role of musculoskeletal health in keeping quality of life high across the lifespan and techniques for making comparisons across age, sex, and race. Continuing in my research I wanted to combine the two by exploring the gut-bone axis, which I’ve been able to do under the guidance of my supervisors Dr. Steven Taylor and Dr. Geraint Rogers.

Can you share a memorable experience or project from your career that had a significant impact on you or the community?
Currently I am working on a mouse model to understand the interaction between the gut microbiome and bone density during the perimenopausal period, where a lot of bone loss happens due to the loss of oestrogen. Women and the perimenopausal period have historically been under-researched. I hope that this will help lay the foundation for the prevention of bone loss through gut microbiome modification.

How do you like to relax or spend your spare time?
In my free time, I like to go to the cinema (alone or with friends). It kind of forces you to stop the multitasking, turn off your phone, and just focus on one thing for a couple of hours.