An absorptive epithelial lining of the gut is the fundamental structure defining all animals throughout evolutionary history. Intestinal epithelial barriers are typically colonized by a community of bacterial symbionts (microbiota) that engage in nutrient exchange with the host to their mutual benefit. While this interface has been extensively studied in terms of antimicrobial factors and microbial pathogenesis, most bacteria-epithelial interactions are benign. By studying processes of molecular symbiosis that maintain health, we may learn new biology, uncover new strategies to prevent disease at its cellular origin, and inform the design and deployment of microbe-based therapeutics.
The Lab is supported by financial and other resources from:
National Institutes of Health - NIAID DP2 New Innovator Award
Microbiome Vaccine Program, UCLA
Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, UCLA
Immunology Advisory Committee, UCLA
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics, UCLA
Division of Digestive Disease, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI)