Call for papers - One Health approach: zoonotic disease and microbiome research

Guest Editors

João Pedro Rueda Furlan, PhD, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil
Marwan Osman, PhD, MPH, SM(ASCP), Yale School of Medicine, USA
Zhi Ruan, PhD, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China
Krzysztof Skowron, Dr Hab. Eng., Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 31 October 2025

BMC Microbiology launches the collection One Health approach: zoonotic disease and microbiome research. This collection aims to explore research on emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infections (e.g. pathogenesis, pathogen-host interactions, detection, diagnosis, treatment and control), as well as on microbial communities, in the context of One Health approach. Research without a clear focus on microorganisms, host-microorganism interactions and/or microbiomes, as well as implications for One Health approach, will not be considered.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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João Pedro Rueda Furlan, PhD, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil

Dr Furlan holds a PhD in Science from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. His work spans bacteriology, molecular biology, and genomics, with a focus on the phenotypic and molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant bacteria. This includes investigating mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and metal tolerance, mobile genetic elements, virulence factors, and epidemiology. His research interests align with the One Health approach, emphasizing the monitoring and surveillance of bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. He also explores microbial interactions across humans, animals, plants, and the environment.

Marwan Osman, PhD, MPH, SM(ASCP), Yale School of Medicine, USA

Dr Osman is an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Neurosurgery at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven (USA). He earned his PhD in Medical Microbiology from Lille University (France). As a medical microbiologist and molecular epidemiologist, his research focuses on infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, evidence-based medicine, and One Health interventions.

Zhi Ruan, PhD, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China

Dr Ruan is a professor of microbial genomics and bioinformatics at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China. His main research interests have been focusing on genomic epidemiological studies to elucidate the evolution and transmission mechanisms of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. He has published over 80 articles in high-impact scientific journals and serves as an Associate Editor for several academic publications, contributing significantly to advancements in his field.

Krzysztof Skowron, Dr Hab. Eng., Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland

Dr Skowron has been part of the Department of Microbiology at the Faculty of Pharmacy, L. Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, since 2011. In 2019, he earned the degree of habilitated Doctor of Medical Sciences, specializing in medical biology. He currently holds the position of Associate Professor. Dr Skowron focuses his research on antimicrobial activities in various settings, including hospitals, healthcare facilities, food processing plants, and animal farms. His studies investigate the phenotypic and genotypic properties of bacterial strains, examining the effects of antimicrobial interventions on these characteristics, with an emphasis on health protection. A key area of his research is biofilm formation, including its resistance to antimicrobial agents and the influence of environmental factors on its development. Additionally, he is interested in emerging pathogens, zoonotic pathogens, and the transmission of microorganisms between animals and humans.

About the Collection

The One Health integrated approach acknowledges ‘the interdependence of animal, human and environmental health’, emphasizing the necessity for collaboration across various disciplines and research areas to tackle global health challenges related to infectious and zoonotic diseases. This is even more relevant due to factors like climate change, urbanization, unsustainable agricultural practices and globalization that contribute to the rise of new and re-emerging infectious diseases.

The transmission of zoonotic pathogens can greatly impact not only the public human health, but also the health of domestic and wild animals. A better understanding of zoonotic microbial pathogens and the interaction with their hosts is critical to reveal how zoonotic diseases function and spread, as well as how they could possibly be controlled. In the context of One Health approach, the microorganisms inhabiting different hosts and the environment should also be studied as interconnected microbial communities or ecosystems. Understanding the interactions between microorganisms/microbiomes, the human and animal health, and the environment, has potential for developing novel approaches to infectious disease diagnosis, treatment and control.

In support of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being), BMC Microbiology  launches the collection  One Health approach: zoonotic disease and microbiome research. This collection aims to explore research on emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infections (e.g. pathogenesis, pathogen-host interactions, detection, diagnosis, treatment and control), as well as on microbial communities, in the context of One Health approach. Research without a clear focus on microorganisms, host-microorganism interactions and/or microbiomes, as well as implications for One Health approach, will not be considered. We invite researchers and experts in the field to submit research articles covering a broad range of topics including, but not limited to:

Zoonotic infections (viral, parasitic, bacterial and fungal pathogens), their impact on human and animal health, and their potential for disease outbreaks 
(Re-)emerging zoonotic diseases and surveillance strategies
One Health approach in clinical microbiology research
One Health approach and the role of microbial communities and microbiomes
Microbiome sharing between animals and humans
Effects of climate change on zoonotic infections
Antimicrobial resistance within the One Health framework
Epidemiology of zoonoses in changing environments
Zoonotic disease outbreak response and prevention
Bidirectional transmission of clinically important pathogens between companion animals and their owners

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "One Health approach: zoonotic disease and microbiome research" from the dropdown menu.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.