Everyday humans and animals are bombarded by thousands of chemical, microbial, and nutritional exposures, many of which impact health. Growing evidence suggests that the microbiome plays an integral role in modulating the effects of these environmental exposures on the host physiology. A central focus in my lab is understanding the mechanisms through which the microbiome executes these functions. We conduct studies that span clinical and basic sciences leveraging high-throughput screens, statistical modeling, and cutting edge molecular techniques to identify environmental exposures capable of disturbing the taxonomic, genetic, and metabolic composition of the microbiome. By integrating host physiological and immunological measures into these studies, we detect interactions between microbiome operation and host physiology. Ultimately, we will apply the information gained in these analyses to identify biomarkers of exposure, elucidate microbial bioremediation pathways, and engineer microbial consortia that mitigate the impacts of exposure and promote health.
