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Microbiome Metabolic Engineering

The Microbiome Metabolic Engineering theme seeks to understand the positive effects of the microbiome on human health and how harmful environmental factors reduce those effects.

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In a study of neonatal piglets, Illinois pathobiology professors Christopher Gaulke, left, Ying Fang and their colleagues linked influenza A viral infection to alterations of the nasal microbiome and potentially detrimental changes in brain gene expression. Vaccination of pregnant sows appeared to partially protect their offspring from these effects. Photo by Michelle Hassel
Clusters of nanoplastics (red arrows) bind to E. coli O157:H7.
Bioengineering professor Shannon Sirk
A research team led by food science and human nutrition professor Yong-Su Jin combined the special attributes of E. coli with the photosynthetic capabilities of microalgae to take in carbon dioxide and convert it to useful biological chemicals. Photo by Craig Pessman
Illinois professors Isaac Cann, left, Stephan Link and Matthew Wheeler were elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Anubhav Basu, left, graduate student and first author of the paper with Professor of Microbiology Cari Vanderpool