About

Dr. Kashyap's Gut Microbiome Lab studies how gut microbes influence health and disease.

The human gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of microbes that coexist harmoniously with their hosts, performing essential functions critical for maintaining health. Disruptions in microbial function can trigger processes that contribute to the pathophysiology of various diseases, including disorders of the gut-brain axis, Clostridioides difficile colitis, as well as inflammatory and neoplastic conditions.

Projects in the Gut Microbiome Lab focus on understanding the complex interactions between diet, gut microbiome and host physiology. These projects aim to move the field beyond associations to defining the functional role of gut microbes in regulating host physiology.

The laboratory uses germ-free mouse models in conjunction with measures of gastrointestinal physiology in vitro and in vivo to investigate the effects of gut microbial products on host gastrointestinal function. In parallel, they use a systems approach incorporating multi-omics, patient metadata and physiologic tissue responses in human studies to help discover novel microbial taxa and metabolites that affect the key regulators of gastrointestinal function.