The long-term goal of our lab is to understand how reciprocal interactions between the host and gut microbiota impact host health. Specifically, we are interested to address three questions:

1. How is a mutualistic relationship between the host and gut microbiota established in the neonatal stage?
2. How do disrupted host-gut microbiota interactions contribute to disease pathogenesis such as colitis and colorectal cancer?
3. How can prebiotics and/or probiotics-based treatment be used to modulate the intestinal microbiota to improve host health?

To achieve this goal, we use both mouse and zebrafish as research model systems.