Research Areas

Cancer

In recent years there has been growing interest in the contribution of the microbiome to cancer. Colonic adenomas and adenocarcinomas are associated with distinct shifts in the tumor-associated microbiome, including expansion of Fusobacterium and invasive Escherichia coli. Read more

Inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) - comprised of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - are chronic inflammatory diseases with growing prevalence in the Western world. It is believed to arise from a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors that trigger an inappropriate mucosal inflammatory response. A role for the microbiome in the pathogenesis of IBD has been suggested by studies demonstrating alterations in the composition and function of the intestinal microbiome in IBD patients compared to healthy controls. Read more

Obesity

Obesity has been rapidly increasing in prevalence in recent decades in the United States and other developed countries. This epidemic is associated with increased incidence of diabetes, dyslipidemia and arteriosclerosis as well as certain forms of cancer, including colorectal and pancreatic cancer. There is now considerable evidence that the composition of the intestinal microbiome influences susceptibility to obesity. Read more