Ashutosh Mangalam

Associate Professor of Pathology,
Department of Pathology,
Carver College of Medicine,
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA | USA

The Mangalam Lab is dedicated to exploring the intricate interactions between the microbiome and the human host, particularly in relation to diet, immune function, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. We employ a multidisciplinary approach that integrates cutting-edge immunological techniques, preclinical disease models in conventional and germ-free mice, high-throughput sequencing, computational analyses, and clinical investigations. Our goal is to understand how the microbiome and its metabolites influence overall health, contribute to dysbiosis, and can be restored in disease conditions. Our research has shown that MS patients exhibit bacterial and fungal dysbiosis, including a depletion of phytoestrogen-metabolizing bacteria essential for immune balance. Using preclinical MS models, we have identified specific bacteria linked to MS pathobiology, highlighting potential microbiome-based biomarker and therapeutic targets. This knowledge will help unlock the microbiome’s potential as a powerful tool for diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutic interventions.