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Symposium Schedule

Meet the Speakers

       Rob Knight, Ph.D.

Rob Knight is a Professor at the University of California San Diego. His innovative work on the human microbiome is enhancing our understanding of health and disease. Utilizing state-of-the-art computational and experimental techniques, Knight explores the diversity and functions of microbial communities within the human body. His research has highlighted the significant impact these microbial populations have on conditions such as obesity, gastrointestinal diseases, and mental health disorders. The Knight Lab supports an open-access scientific model, providing free, open-source software tools and making all protocols and data publicly available, thereby advancing microbial ecology and encouraging public involvement in science. Knight’s research has been instrumental in large-scale projects like the American Gut Project and the Earth Microbiome Project, advancing our knowledge of microbial ecology and its relevance to human health.

         Curtis Huttenhower, Ph.D.

Curtis Huttenhower is a Professor at Harvard University. Curtis's research focuses on computational biology at the intersection of microbial community function and human health. His work involves advancing functional metagenomics to decipher microbial community activities, their metabolites, and signaling mechanisms, and how these functions relate to their composition. Additionally, Huttenhower’sresearch seeks to fill gaps in our understanding of the human microbiome’s transmission, heritability, and interactions with host immunity, environment, and genetics. His lab develops novel machine learning methodologies to analyze high-dimensional genomic data and integrates large multi-omic data collections.

         Emiley A. Eloe-Fadrosh, Ph.D.

Emiley A. Eloe-Fadrosh is a Metagenome Program Lead at the DOE Joint Genome Institute. Her research employs genome-resolved metagenomic approaches to identify and characterize genomic information from uncultivated microbes and viruses. By developing computational methods to analyze thousands of metagenomes, her group aims to detect signatures of viruses and novel microbial lineages and reconstruct the metabolic properties encoded within those genomes. This work seeks to capture microbial and viral diversity more comprehensively, enhancing our understanding of microbial communities and ecosystem functions. 

        Katrine Whiteson, Ph.D.

Katrine Whiteson's lab at University of Califrnia Irvine conducts longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, linking microbial sequence data with metabolite profiles to identify biomarkers for disease states, like Cystic Fibrosis, and guide targeted treatments. Her research also includes characterizing unknown phage genes, studying human oral microbial communities, and analyzing novel bacterial genomes. Understanding microbial interactions and changes in microbial physiology associated with changes in patient status may lead to the development of biomarkers to diagnose changes in infection earlier and more precisely.

        Ami Bhatt, Ph.D.

Ami Bhatt is a Professor at Stanford University. Her research group aims to understand how microbial communities influence health and disease, and she is particularly interested in the role of the microbiome in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Bhatt’s work involves using advanced genomic and computational tools to study the microbiome, with the goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets and improving patient outcomes. Her interdisciplinary research bridges microbiology, oncology, and genomics, contributing to a deeper understanding of the microbiome’s impact on human health.

        Sarkis Mazmanian, Ph.D.

Sarkis Mazmanian is Luis B. and Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology at the California Institute of Technology. His research primarily focuses on the relationship between the human microbiome and the immune system. His work has significantly contributed to our understanding of how gut bacteria influence health and disease. Mazmanian’s research explores how specific microbial communities in the gut can affect conditions such as autism, Parkinson’s disease, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). He has pioneered studies demonstrating that certain beneficial bacteria can promote immune system development and modulate neurological functions, potentially leading to new therapeutic approaches for various diseases. His innovative work bridges microbiology, immunology, and neuroscience, highlighting the critical role of the gut-brain axis in human health.

        Emily Cope, Ph.D.,

Emily Cope is an Associate Professor at Northern Arizona University. Emily takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying the human microbiome, particularly in relation to respiratory diseases and conditions. Her research investigates the complex interactions between microbial communities and their human hosts, aiming to understand how these relationships influence health and disease. Cope’s studies often examine the microbiome of the respiratory tract and its role in conditions such as chronic rhinosinusitis and other respiratory infections. By exploring the microbial ecology of these environments, her work seeks to uncover potential therapeutic targets and strategies to improve respiratory health.