The focus of the Obata Lab is to study how environmental signals (e.g., microbiota, diet, day/night cycles) shape intestinal neural circuits and immune cell networks. A variety of experimental techniques are used, including state-of-the-art imaging technologies, viral tracing of gut innervation, in vivo and ex vivo physiological assays, gnotobiotic systems and multi-omics technologies. The Obata Lab is also interested in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of inter-organ communication, including the Gut-Brain axis.

In our lab, we investigate the interactions between these multiple pathogens and the immune system.

We are broadly interested in understanding how resident intestinal bacteria influence the biology of humans and other mammalian hosts.

We combine classical genetics with modern technology to understand human physiology and search for breakthrough treatments for diseases.

The Reinecker laboratory unravels and targets molecular mechanisms of key human genetic variants that cause chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer by creating novel genetic mouse and human organotypic model systems.

The Zhong Lab investigates the fundamental mechanisms of inflammation across metabolic disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, with the goal of identifying actionable pathways and developing targeted therapeutic strategies.

Yao Laboratory identifies molecular and cellular mechanisms that determine the efficacy of vaccines and immunotherapies against infectious diseases and cancers.

The Turer Lab is interested in finding genes with novel functions in intestinal immune homeostasis. Our projects generally involve a mix of experimental approaches examining both the intestinal epithelium as well as hematopoietic causes of intestinal inflammation.

The Wakeland Lab utilizes state-of-the-art genomic strategies to investigate the diversity of the human and mouse immune systems. 

Satterthwaite Lab studies the signals that control B lymphocyte development, activation, and differentiation into antibody-secreting plasma cells, both normally and in autoimmune diseases such as lupus. We hope that by defining these events, we can reveal new approaches to modulate antibody responses therapeutically.