Our research in the Microbiome field focuses on understanding how gut microbial communities influence brain function and behavior through the microbiome–gut–brain axis. In line with our broader mission to uncover the biological basis of stress-related psychiatric disorders, we investigate how individual differences in stress vulnerability are linked to distinct microbiome profiles.

Using our unique mouse models of dominance and submissiveness, which represent resilience and susceptibility to stress, we identify differential gut microbiome compositions associated with behavioral phenotypes. We further examine how modulation of the microbiome alters depressive-like behaviors, potentially through neural, endocrine, and immune pathways, including inflammatory mechanisms.

Our work aims to translate these findings into the development of targeted microbiome-based interventions, contributing to novel therapeutic strategies for behavioral and affective disorders, particularly in stress-sensitive populations.