Dr. Wang [Robert Black Fellow] is studying Bacteroides fragilis, a common human gut bacterium that protects against inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in experimental models. This project will explore the mechanisms that contribute to bacterial colonization and long‐term maintenance in the gut. By combining bioinformatics, molecular genetics, protein biochemistry and innovative animal disease models, she hopes to better understand host‐microbe and microbe‐microbe interactions in the complex mammalian gut environment, and to potentially utilize B. fragilis as a preventative and therapeutic against IBD and/or colon cancer.

 

---

Project Title: "Diversity generating retroelement-mediated surface-protein display in Bacteroides fragilis and its roles in host-microbe interactions"

Institution: University of California, Los Angeles

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Jeffery F. Miller, PhD

Cancer Type: Colorectal

Research Area: Microbiology