Theresa Alenghat, V.M.D., Ph.D.

Research

Trillions of microbes live symbiotically in the intestine and act as environmental influences that shape mammalian host physiology. My lab explores molecular mechanisms that underlie how these microbes, called the microbiota, regulate health and disease. Epigenomics refers to modifications that allow genes to be turned on or off in response to environmental cues. We recently discovered an enzyme that integrates signals from the microbiota to regulate host gene expression and intestinal health. We aim to determine how the microbiota fine-tunes the epigenome through this enzyme. Our goal is to assess how mice lacking this enzyme in the intestine respond to infectious and dietary challenges. This work may lead to new treatments for disorders in which the host-microbiota relationship in the gut is askew, such as allergy, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.