Assistant Member, Basic Sciences Division

B.S., University of California, Santa Barbara

Ph.D., University of Washington, School of Medicine

My lab is interested in understanding how maternal-offspring interactions influence neonatal health. We take a comprehensive approach, analyzing multiple aspects of physiology such as immunity, development, and metabolism. Recently, we demonstrated that healthy mothers produce a range of antibodies that bind to bacteria living in the infant gut. Transfer of these antibodies to offspring through breast milk is necessary to limit neonatal immune responses and promote peace between gut bacteria and their infant hosts. Currently, we are characterizing how these antibodies are generated, exploring how maternal antibodies achieve their effects, and determining the long-term consequences these antibodies have on offspring health. Additionally, we are developing systems to identify and characterize how the complete set of maternal-derived factors contributes to health.