High-throughput experimentation at the NSF ExFAB Biofoundry targets causal links in infant health
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has been awarded a major grant from Wellcome Leap to investigate how the early-life gut microbiome may influence neurodevelopmental challenges, including autism spectrum disorder. The project is led by chemical engineering professor Michelle O’Malley, interim chair of the Department of Bioengineering. The work utilizes the NSF ExFAB Biofoundry to analyze microbial communities at an unprecedented scale.
The research combines perspectives from engineering and physics to move toward a causal understanding of infant health. Co-principal investigator and physics professor Jean Carlson explained that mathematical modeling will help identify which biological signals are critical. According to Dean of Science Shelly Gable, the investigation draws on the full range of expertise within the division to answer vital questions about the roots of neurodevelopment. Read the full story on The Current.
Photo Credit: Stephen Andrews, Unsplash