Nature, Published online: 29 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00184-2

Low- and middle-income countries are under-represented in research into the gut microbiome, and addressing this is key to understanding the link between gut-resident microorganisms and health. A large study of the microbiomes of African women provides a resource for microbiome discovery and a framework for equitable research in this area.