The Bess Lab
Discovering & Engineering Microbiome Chemistry
Watercolor by Rebecca McGillivary, @rebmcg
ADME Models
We are characterizing the chemical-reaction repertoire of the gut microbiome—informing drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) models—to uncover the microbiome's impacts on pharmacology and health.
Hormone Signaling
We are elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which the microbiome mediates hormone levels in humans, which has important implications for health and disease.
Gut—Brain Axis
There is mounting evidence that the human gut microbiome impacts the brain. We are unravelling the molecular-level mechanisms causally linking the gut microbiome to Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis.
Dietary Fiber
Lignocellulose is an abundant but understudied dietary fiber. We are discovering how gut bacterial degradation of this dietary fiber shapes the functions and chemical environment of the gut microbiome.
