Minding the microbiome: how a commensal gut bacterium treats autism-related symptoms in mice

In line with the staggering statistic that our bodies are comprised of over ten times more microbial cells than human cells, scientists are finding that the microbes that make up "us" play an important role in a variety of biological processes. Not least of these is brain development and function; recent studies show that microbes have the remarkable ability to impact neural activity and complex behaviors. Based on such microbe-brain interactions, we asked whether changing the composition of our gut microbiome could influence neural health and disease in a mouse model for autism, a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder that afflicts 1 in 88 children in the U.S. I will present collaborative work between the Patterson, Mazmanian and Reisman labs at Caltech on a potential microbe-based therapeutic for the treatment of autism-related gastrointestinal and neurobehavioral symptoms. 

Light refreshments will be served at 5:00pm; lecture starts at 5:30pm. All members of the Caltech community are encouraged to attend!

For more information, please visit www.its.caltech.edu/~els or contact Yun Elisabeth Wang at [email protected].