Our lab investigates and develops solutions addressing unmet needs in gastrointestinal health particularly inflammatory bowel disease. Leveraging our work in gastroenterology, we also work to find common solutions addressing broad, challenging systemic health problems. There are two primary and overlapping emphases of our group’s research, both of which are driven and united by needs-based innovation and translational potential:

1. Deciphering the interactions between the host immune system and the regional intestinal ecosystem—including the microbiome and metabolome—with particular emphasis on how nutrition shapes these relationships.

We have identified specific microbial and diet-influenced metabolites, namely certain secondary bile acids (SBAs), that are dramatically decreased in the inflamed intestine. Our investigations also include determining the influence and interactions of pharmacologic and dietary interventions on gut microbiome/metabolomic changes and the host immune response. Our lab has conducted the largest randomized, controlled trial of a solid, non-exclusion diet in adults with Crohn’s disease with positive outcomes. We are also engaged in profiling the intestinal ecosystem under physiologic conditions using a novel sampling technology, which we believe will lead to improved biomarkers of disease and better treatment options.

2. Applying novel approaches and technologies (including developing natural language processing, large language models, and other computational tools) to address pervasive clinical challenges.

In this area, my group validates and develops technical solutions to pressing clinical needs. With multidisciplinary teams, we have led various high risk innovations addressing longstanding medical needs, ranging from AI-based systems to improve clinical efficiency to new drug delivery technologies that have shown strong potential in ongoing real-world implementation and human clinical trials.