Exploring the Link Between Hygiene and Health: UNHAS Hosts Dr. Abena S. Amoah from LUMC

The Faculty of Medicine (FK), Hasanuddin University (UNHAS), once again organized an international Guest Lecture featuring Dr. Abena S. Amoah, a Senior Researcher from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), the Netherlands, on 20 October 2025.

The event, held at the Prof. Amiruddin Auditorium, FK-UNHAS, was part of the Undergraduate Program in collaboration with the Department of Parasitology. The participants included undergraduate medical students from the 2022 cohort as well as residents from the Department of Parasitology.

In her lecture titled “The Hygiene Hypothesis and Beyond: Changing Exposures and the Rise in Inflammatory Noncommunicable Conditions”, Dr. Amoah presented a scientific discussion on the relationship between environmental changes, microbial exposure, and the increasing prevalence of inflammatory noncommunicable diseases in modern societies.

The event was also attended by the Vice Dean for Planning and Resources, Prof. dr. Firdaus, Ph.D., Sp.MK(K), along with several faculty members from the Department of Parasitology. The session became highly engaging during the discussion segment, as participants actively explored the concept of the hygiene hypothesis and its implications for global public health.

Through this activity, students were expected to broaden their understanding of the importance of maintaining a balance between hygiene, natural microbial exposure, and the immune system’s function. Moreover, the Guest Lecture served as an important momentum to strengthen academic collaboration between UNHAS and LUMC, while further enhancing UNHAS’s international recognition and reputation on the global stage.