This week we profile a recent publication in Mucosal Immunology from the laboratory of Dr.
Nichole Klatt (pictured), whose lab recently moved from UW to the University of Miami.
Can you provide a brief overview of your lab’s current research focus?
My lab studies the role of the microbiome in human health and disease. We have several ongoing studies in diseases such as HIV, antibiotic resistance, cancer, premature birth, and other diseases relative to how the microbiome can affect drug metabolism and host responses.
What is the significance of the findings in this publication?
This study demonstrates the importance of considering the necessity of antibiotic use for each occasion, as these data demonstrate that antibiotics can have unwanted effects such as inflammation and microbial translocation. Thus, antibiotics should only be used when absolutely critical.
What are the next steps for this research?
We are now assessing how the microbiome can alter metabolism of antibiotics and contribute to antibiotic resistance.
This work was funded by:
NIH core grant P51 OD010425-51, NIH grants 1R01AI117828 and 1R01DK11225
