Our lab investigates how early-life diet shapes the developing gut microbiome and influences the risk of food allergies. Diet during infancy plays a critical role in determining which microbes colonize the gut and how they function—factors that are tightly linked to immune development. We study how specific microbial communities influenced by infant feeding practices interact with the immune system, to identify microbial and dietary targets for allergy prevention.
While food proteins are well-known triggers of allergic responses, the role of microbial protein metabolism in shaping immune tolerance remains poorly understood. We use multi-omics tools, gnotobiotic models, and systems biology approaches to uncover how early-life microbiome function impacts the success of food allergy treatments. Our goal is to reveal microbial pathways that can be harnessed to prevent or treat food allergies.
We are developing next-generation microbiome-based therapeutics to improve outcomes for food allergy treatments. By engineering beneficial microbes to deliver immunomodulatory molecules directly to the gut, our goal is to enhance immune tolerance safely and effectively. This platform holds the potential to transform how we approach oral immunotherapy.