Title: “Genomics of Host-Microbiome Interactions”

Summary: The Blekhman Lab studies host-microbiome interactions, focusing on host genetic control of the microbiome. We use genomic data and employ statistical, machine learning, and population genetic analytical approaches, with the goal of understanding how host genetic variation impacts commensal microbial communities, how the microbiome regulates host genes, and how host-microbiome crosstalk affects human health. In my talk, I will describe key recent studies from our lab, including efforts to quantify the heritability of the microbiome using large-scale longitudinal data, characterize worldwide patterns of gut microbiome variation, and define host gene-microbe interactions using functional genomics techniques.