MAGIC Annual Report 2024

2024

ANNUAL REPORT

MAGIC Annual Report 2024 | 1

With Gratitude The leadership, research faculty, and trainees of MAGIC—Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Immunology Consortium— gratefully acknowledge the financial support of our steadfast and progressive supporters, especially the Department of Internal Medicine and the Department of Pathology at the University of Utah. Additionally, we appreciate the philanthropic resources that define the margin of excellence in academic and research pursuits; the insights and breakthroughs attained by MAGIC researchers, trainees, and physicians would not be possible without the generosity and foresight of our partners. We share their hope and confidence in a brighter, healthier future.

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INSIDE

MAGIC

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Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan

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Who We Are

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Research Faculty

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Human Microbiota –Immune Connection

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Transformational Research

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MAGIC Biobank

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Excellence in Education

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Strategic Collaboration

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MoWMA—Mountain West Microbiome Alliance

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2023 MoWMA Seed Grants

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2024 MoWMA Seed Grants

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In the News

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What’s Next for MAGIC

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Dear Colleagues and Friends, The past year has been an exciting start to MAGIC, the Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Immunology Consortium!

Time and again, studies illustrate the interconnectedness of gut microbiota and almost every human disease.

The microbiota is estimated to weigh as much as one of the most critical organs in our body—the human brain—yet we know very little about the function of this “forgotten organ.” This lack of knowledge is, in part, because the microbiota is a complex ecosystem of microbes that requires interdisciplinary expertise to study it.

In 2024, MAGIC brought together researchers from over 15 different departments across campus to share their work in chemistry, immunology, microbiology, engineering, and much more. These specialists include trainees, basic research scientists, and clinicians. Together, we are beginning to lay the foundation for unlocking new insights from the microbes that hold promise to transform health care and enhance the quality of life for patients worldwide.

The focus of 2024 was to bring together faculty across campus to collaborate in this space and build the infrastructure to allow new investigators to enter the microbiota field. This has already proved to be a successful endeavor, as this past year has brought increased research funding, publication outputs, and new research collaborations. MAGIC began with a focus on critical areas of chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, and this year saw an expansion into new areas such as neurological and metabolic diseases. Our goal will be to continue growing into other areas of expertise across campus to position the University of Utah as a leader in microbiome research.

We can all agree that one of the University of Utah’s greatest assets is the people and the culture of collaboration that it cultivates. The dedication and passion of our faculty, staff, and partners are the driving forces behind MAGIC’s present and future success. We are excited to continue fostering innovative approaches that harness the power of the gut microbiome for patient care. As we look toward the future, we envision that bringing together individuals focused on patient care with others at the bench making the basic discoveries in microbiota research will more rapidly allow the translation of microbiota-based therapeutics. To support this, we are actively working with business partners and the commercialization office to create the infrastructure to support these future translational efforts. We are confident these efforts will unlock the discoveries critical to developing life-changing treatments—and cures—for some of the most debilitating diseases.

Thank you for your continued support and collaboration. Together, we can make MAGICal discoveries that will pave the way for a healthier tomorrow.

Daniel Leung, MD Co-Director, MAGIC Dr. Thomas D. Rees and Natalie B. Rees Presidential Endowed Chair in Global Medicine Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases

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June Round, PhD Co-Director, MAGIC H. A. and Edna Benning Presidential Endowed Chair Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology & Immunology

Pioneering Research and Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Transform Human Health

VISION MAGIC is dedicated to driving groundbreaking discoveries and fostering innovative research and collaboration to unlock the full potential of microbiome science. By advancing our understanding and applying microbiota-related insights, we aim to revolutionize health care practices, ultimately curing human diseases through targeted gut microbiome therapies.

MISSION MAGIC is committed to advancing our understanding of the microbiota’s role in human health. Leveraging the University of Utah’s strengths in cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as the U’s commitment to improving health and quality of life, MAGIC is poised to lead the way in microbiome science and its applications.

STRATEGIC PLAN MAGIC seeks to become one of the preeminent microbiome research centers in the United States focused on leveraging discoveries to improve human health. To this end, we are focused on transformational research, excellence in education, and strategic collaboration within—and outside— the University of Utah.

MAGIC is proudly housed within the University of Utah’s Departments of Internal Medicine and Pathology, benefitting from the extensive expertise and resources they offer.

The program also benefits significantly from its association with the Immunology, Inflammation, and Infectious Disease (3i) Initiative, formally established at U of U Health in 2017.

Since that time, 3i has convened investigators representing nearly every department at the U to focus on conditions such as HIV/AIDS, sepsis, malaria, cancer immunotherapy, IBD, and multiple sclerosis.

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WHO WE ARE LEADERSHIP Daniel Leung, MD Co-Director, MAGIC Dr. Thomas D. Rees and Natalie B. Rees Presidential Endowed Chair in Global Medicine Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases

June Round, PhD Co-Director, MAGIC H. A. and Edna Benning Presidential Endowed Chair Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology & Immunology

STAFF

Bryan Webster Associate Director, Department of Pathology Nikki Forrest Executive Assistant, Department of Pathology Alex Phillips Director of Advancement

INTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD

Denise Dearing, PhD Distinguished Professor, School of Biological Sciences John Inadomi, MD Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chair Chair, Department of Internal Medicine Peter Jensen, MD Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology

Nicole Frank, PhD Administrative Director, MAGIC Director of Research Development, Department of Internal Medicine

Ryan O’Connell, PhD Professor and Chief, Division of Microbiology & Immunology Kathryn Peterson, MD Professor, Department of Internal Medicine Neli Ulrich, PhD Professor, Intermountain Health Department of Population Health Sciences

MAGIC BIOBANK TEAM

Amiko Uchida, MD Senior Director

Rebecca Kim, MD Director, Liver Section Kathryn Peterson, MD Founder June Round, PhD Scientific Director Elizabeth Cummings Senior Technician Coordinator Eunjae Yoo Technician Coordinator

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RESEARCH FACULTY MAGIC-affiliated research faculty members are all accomplished and respected in their fields, representing an array of disciplines from across campus. In addition to their extensive research endeavors, they work closely with trainees, mentoring graduate and PhD students, as well as individuals in post-doctoral and fellowship programs.

SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY

Melodie Weller, PhD

JOHN AND MARCIA PRICE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Alphonsus Ng, PhD

COLLEGE OF HEALTH

Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology Mary Playdon, PhD Anandh Babu Pon Velayutham, PhD

SPENCER FOX ECCLES SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Department of Family & Preventive Medicine Windy Tanner, PhD

Department of Human Genetics Charles Murtaugh, PhD Mark Yandell, PhD Department of Internal Medicine Anna Beaudin, PhD John Inadomi, MD Karim Khader, PhD Daniel Leung, MD Afaf Osman, MD Kathryn Peterson, MD

Naomi Schlesinger, MD Andrew Skinner, MD Amiko Uchida, MD John Valentine, MD Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Michael Varner, MD Department of Pathology Maria Bettini, PhD Matt Bettini, PhD Kim Evason, MD, PhD Hans Haecker, MD, PhD Gianna Hammer, PhD Peter Jensen, MD Ryan O’Connell, PhD Aaron Petrey, PhD June Round, PhD Zac Stephens, PhD Arabella Young, PhD Department of Pediatrics Nicole Pershing, MD, PhD Intermountain Health Department of Population Health Sciences Neli Ulrich, PhD Department of Psychiatry Shami Kanekar, PhD Department of Surgery

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

Department of Medicinal Chemistry Amy Barrios, PhD

Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry Yue Lu, PhD Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology Ana Beatriz DePaula-Silva, PhD Jackie Winter, PhD

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

School of Biological Sciences Fred Adler, PhD Colin Dale, PhD Denise Dearing, PhD Bryn Dentinger, PhD Talia Karasov, PhD Matt Mulvey, PhD Department of Chemistry Ming Hammond, PhD

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH

Office of Comparative Medicine Alton Swennes, DVM

Irma Fleming, MD

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HUMAN MICROBIOTA–IMMUNE CONNECTION The human body is home to an abundant and diverse assortment of resident bacteria, fungi, and viruses called the microbiota. The number of these organisms in the average human body equals the number of human cells and contains ten times more genetic material than the human genome.

These microbes are now understood to play important roles in human metabolism, immunity, chronic illness, and protection from infection. Understanding how these organisms influence human health has the potential to unlock new therapies to prevent and treat disease. The following conditions have demonstrated links to microbiome health and are of primary interest to MAGIC researchers.

Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) are chronic allergic inflammatory diseases of the GI tract that are increasingly common and have few to no therapies. Researchers at the U are working to understand how environmental factors like diet and microbiota impact human health in the setting of EGIDs.

Gastrointestinal Cancer

Most of the microbes in our bodies live in the GI tract. Of these, many have been shown to influence cancer development at sites within the GI tract, including the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, small intestine, and colon. Moreover, many of these cancers are developing in younger individuals and increasing in incidence in countries around the globe.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, has also been steadily rising in incidence worldwide. An estimated 1:123 people will receive this diagnosis, posing a tremendous burden for health care systems as there is currently no cure, and many existing therapies are quite expensive. Individuals with IBD are more likely to develop colon cancer and experience a severe, constant burden on their quality of life, social interactions, and ability to work. Despite the advancements in therapies for IBD over the last decade, many patients quickly become unresponsive to treatment. While the cause of IBD remains unknown, it seems clear that microbiota composition is a critical aspect of its development.

Intestinal Infections

Virtually all pathogenic agents must cross a mucosal barrier to infect their host. Mucosal sites, such as the mouth, lung, and GI tract, are also home to trillions of microbes. Thus, the interactions between these microbes and the immune system at mucosal sites are instrumental in combating and preventing infectious agents. Researchers at the U are studying how gut bacteria can prevent pathogenic organisms, such as COVID-19, from causing severe disease and uncover the unique immune pathways that fend off harmful microbes.

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Metabolic Diseases Obesity and diabetes are reaching epidemic levels. While dietary interventions are known to improve these diseases, these interventions do not always work. What we consume or which medications we take can influence the communities of bacteria within the gut. Understanding how microbes and nutrition affect the development of diabetes and obesity can help physicians and practitioners identify novel strategies for treatment. Research at the U has uncovered gut microbes that can prevent obesity, nutritional supplements that improve metabolic health, immune pathways that elicit diabetes, and gut microbial molecules that might temper the development of diabetes.

Neurological Diseases

Many individuals with neurological disorders, including autism, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke, have co-occurring GI symptoms. This clinical observation suggests that many of these disorders connect to gut health. Data now supports this observation, demonstrating that the microbes that reside within the gut can influence the severity of many of these diseases. Moreover, immune cells within the intestine are capable of trafficking to the central nervous system (CNS) to prevent or exacerbate disease. This knowledge highlights that GI health is an instrumental aspect of neurological health.

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TRANSFORMATIONAL RESEARCH The University of Utah and University of Utah Health have built an innovative research environment that encourages scientists to work together to turn big ideas into real solutions. This collaborative spirit, along with state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated support, enables researchers at all career stages to expedite discoveries that meet the most urgent needs of our time.

Operating in conjunction with U of U Health, including five hospitals and 12 community health centers, and embedded within a major public research university, MAGIC researchers have the ability to accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical therapies. Additionally, the collaborative nature of MAGIC means that as research becomes ever more interdisciplinary, its strong foundation of strategic partnerships across university programs, departments, and colleges and with local and national health systems will be increasingly critical to the U’s research enterprise.

MAGIC is uniquely positioned to harness these assets to benefit human health and well-being.

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY COMPUTER SCIENCE DENTISTRY FAMILY & PREVENTIVE MEDICINE HUMAN GENETICS INTERNAL MEDICINE MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY NUTRITION & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY OFFICE OF COMPARATIVE MEDICINE PATHOLOGY PEDIATRICS PHARMACEUTICS & PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCES PSYCHIATRY SURGERY 7 | MAGIC Annual Report 2024

MAGIC’S RESEARCHERS REPRESENT 19 DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS

TRANSFORMATIONAL RESEARCH

MAGIC Biobank

Microbiome biobank samples play a crucial role in advancing scientific research. These samples enable researchers to investigate the diverse microbial communities present in the human body, facilitating the identification of specific microorganisms that may contribute to various diseases or health conditions.

2024 RESEARCH $21.9M

Faculty Grant Funding

59%

Published in Top 10% of Journals

By analyzing biobank samples, scientists can uncover patterns and correlations that help in understanding the role of the microbiome in metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, GI issues, and more. Biobanks also strengthen connections among researchers, allowing for large-scale studies that increase the statistical power of findings and expedite the discovery of potential therapeutic targets. Ultimately, microbiome biobank samples serve as a foundational resource for developing personalized medicine approaches, improving patient outcomes, and guiding future innovations in health care.

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Published Papers

77

Grant Applications

The MAGIC Biobank is a collection of biospecimens from GI or GI surgery patients dedicated to advancing translational research to improve GI health. The U has received roughly $2 million annually in NIH awards related to the MAGIC Biobank. The biobank is made possible through a partnership between the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pathology and the 3i Initiative.

Long-term, the vision for the MAGIC Biobank is to be a one-of-a-kind longitudinal collection site focused on human microbiome biospecimens across the lifespan.

These samples, ranging in type from maternal, fetal, and infant through adulthood, will leverage the Utah Population Database to help provide genealogical information. All of these samples combined will create a powerful set of data that can be used to tackle the seemingly impossible questions of environment and genetics.

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EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION MAGIC joins U of U Health in its commitment to providing outstanding multidisciplinary and innovative research training that prepares our diverse predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees to become successful scientists in a rapidly evolving and complex research enterprise. The experiences and insights trainees gain through their work with MAGIC complement the robust curricula offered by the University of Utah that cover the basic, diseaserelated, clinical, and/or translational disciplines and provide the foundation for research experiences. Along with novel programmatic activities, strong mentoring, and responsible oversight, our programs facilitate development toward independent research careers by ensuring that trainees acquire the operational and professional skills to advance knowledge and improve health for all the citizens we serve.

MAGIC Associated Learners

As chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease continue to rise globally, there is an urgent need for more microbiota researchers and clinicians who can develop innovative treatments and preventive strategies. Advancing our understanding of the impact of microbiota on these and other chronic diseases is essential for improving health outcomes. To address this need, the MAGIC Associated Learners— MAGICAL—program at the U is committed to training the next generation of researchers in the field.

Recognizing the need for specialized training programs directly focused on the microbiome, the initiative aims to equip mentees with the skills and knowledge required to make meaningful contributions to this rapidly evolving field. Our approach integrates basic wet lab research with computational skills, ensuring trainees can translate research discoveries into impactful clinical tools.

To achieve our training goals, the MAGICAL program will leverage the strengths of several institutional programs and communities at the University of Utah. The Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Immunology Consortium (MAGIC) provides interdisciplinary training expertise through a network of over 40 investigators from nearly 20 departments. The Immunology, Inflammation, and Infectious Diseases (3i) Initiative unites over 280 investigators across the U’s campus to enhance research efforts through pilot projects, strategic recruitments, seminars, and symposia. The Mountain West Microbiome Alliance (MoWMA) convenes investigators from six institutions across the Mountain West and supports interdisciplinary and multi-institutional research and training in microbiota science.

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EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

MAGIC Associated Learners

Future training plans prioritize the following goals:

Maximize external training support for PhD trainees, MD-PhD trainees, and postdocs

Develop systems to support the growth and excellence of graduate programs

Train the next generation of clinician-scientists

Increase the success of graduate students

Strengthen postdoctoral support and mentoring

Create a standard of mentoring

2024 MAGIC Recruiting Highlight Jean-Bernard Lubin, PhD Jean-Bernard Lubin, PhD, is an assistant professor of pathology specializing in microbial genetics and biochemistry. Before joining the U, Dr. Lubin completed his undergraduate studies at the State University of New York, where he earned a bachelor of science degree. He then pursued his doctoral training at the University of Delaware, where he obtained his PhD. Dr. Lubin further honed his expertise through a postdoctoral fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His research interests include mucosal immunology and early-life hostmicrobiota interactions, making significant contributions to the field of microbial genetics.

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STRATEGIC COLLABORATION Robust and strategic collaborations provide opportunities to develop and share a common understanding of MAGIC’s efforts and relevance to stakeholders, potential partners, and the broader community.

Building this connectivity is important and is a priority for MAGIC in 2025.

MoWMA: Mountain West Microbiome Alliance

Thanks to a generous donation from the Cumming Foundation, the Mountain West Microbiome Alliance (MoWMA) was established in 2023. This initiative fosters collaboration and innovation among microbiome researchers across the Mountain West. The annual regional meeting, held each spring, convenes specialists from various institutions, including the University of Colorado, the University of Montana, and the University of Arizona.

The three-day event maximizes both formal and informal interactions among participants. Through presentations, researchers share their latest findings, methodologies, and insights into microbiome science.

These lectures cover a wide range of topics, from basic research to clinical applications, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of the field.

MoWMA also includes numerous opportunities for informal discussions. These sessions encourage spontaneous idea exchanges, foster new collaborations, and strengthen existing partnerships. Activities such as roundtable discussions, poster sessions, and networking events are integral parts of the meeting, allowing participants to engage in meaningful conversations and explore potential joint projects.

The Mountain West Microbiome Alliance serves as a vital platform for advancing microbiome research in the region. By bringing together a diverse group of scientists and fostering a collaborative environment, MoWMA aims to accelerate the pace of discovery and innovation in microbiome science, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes and a deeper understanding of the microbiome’s role in human health.

2024 MoWMA KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Gary D. Wu, MD Associate Chief for Research, Division of Gastroenterology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

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Jennifer B.H. Martiny, PhD Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine

Zachary Abbott, PhD Co-Founder, ZBiotics

STRATEGIC COLLABORATION

2023 MoWMA SEED GRANTS In December 2023, three projects were awarded seed grants by the Cumming Foundation, and their work commenced in 2024. These studies, led by University of Utah and Colorado State University researchers, are unlocking key insights into autoimmune, behavioral, and neurological conditions.

Dynamics of Diet-Induced Microbial Metabolites in Eosinophilic Esophagitis

PI: Amiko Uchida, MD—University of Utah The project aims to understand how diet affects microbial byproducts that can influence immune system function. The team is investigating these immune system effects in the context of a common but poorly understood allergic disorder that affects the esophagus to improve treatment for this condition.

Modulating Age-Associated Changes in the Meninges of the Brain by Altering the Life Experience of the Gut

PI: Gianna Hammer, PhD—University of Utah The team is investigating how signals originating from gut microbes can affect immune cells in the brain’s lining as individuals age. These immune cells can have an impact on anxiety-like behaviors, social behaviors, and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Diet and Microbiome Interactions: Application in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PI: Tiffany Weir, PhD—Colorado State University Inflammation is a risk factor for stress- and trauma-related disorders like PTSD, and signals from the microbiome can either trigger or relieve inflammation, depending on which microbes are present.

The team will investigate this connection further by measuring the effects of a diet that includes a high diversity of plants on microbiome diversity, inflammation, and quality of life for people with PTSD.

MAGIC Campus Outreach

Enhancing an engaging, vibrant, and dynamic environment is a primary goal of MAGIC’s regular seminars and interest group gatherings, which provide a platform for researchers, clinicians, and students to share their latest findings, discuss innovative ideas, and explore new avenues in microbiome science. These initiatives promote knowledge sharing and professional development and drive the interdisciplinary efforts necessary to achieve groundbreaking discoveries in microbiome science. Two seminar series launched in 2024: the MAGIC Interest Group Seminar and the MAGIC Seminar. These series were very successful, and they will continue in 2025. A fall 2025 symposium is also planned.

2024 MAGIC Interest Group Seminar Series • September 26: Microbiota-Immune Interactions that Promote Metabolic Health and Microbiota Mediated Control of Ribosomal Translation in T Cells • October 24: Exploring Novel Roles for miRNAs in Gastrointestinal Disease • November 14: Tools to Study Signaling, Antibiotic Resistance, and RNAs in Bacteria

2024 MAGIC Seminar Series • September 27: Breastfeeding, Gut Microbiota, and Infant Health: A Perspective from the Bench • November 15: Deconstructing Mechanisms of Diet-Microbiota-Immune Interactions in Autoimmunity

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2024 MoWMA SEED GRANTS In December 2024, three interdisciplinary research teams received seed grants to drive new investigations into how the microbiome affects health. By powering partnerships between researchers at the U and other institutions, the grants, funded by the Cumming Foundation, will foster intellectual collaboration as they spark breakthroughs.

By unraveling the dynamic interactions between human health and our complex microbial ecosystems, the funded research will ultimately help improve health care, according to Ryan O’Connell, PhD, professor and chief of microbiology and immunology at U of U Health. “The work to be supported by these seed grants will enable key advances in our understanding of critical areas of human health that clearly involve the microbiota,” Dr. O’Connell says. “These initial steps will undoubtedly pave the way for the development of novel approaches to diagnose and combat autoimmunity and infectious disease in the clinic.”

Promoting Citizen Science in Multiple Sclerosis Patient Communities

RESEARCH TEAM

Vineet Pandey, PhD Assistant Professor, Kahlert School of Computing, University of Utah

Catherine Lozupone, PhD Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Quantitative Biology, University of Colorado (CU) Anschutz Medical Campus

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In multiple sclerosis (MS), the body’s immune system attacks the nervous system, causing severe symptoms that can include fatigue, sensory and movement problems, and changes to emotion or cognition. Understanding that the gut microbiome can affect both the immune and the nervous systems, the researchers began to consider whether lifestyle changes affecting the microbiome also impact MS symptoms.

To answer this complex question, the team will enlist the help of people with MS, whose expertise stems from daily life, to start making hypotheses about how lifestyle impacts the microbiome and MS symptoms. After modifying an existing digital citizen science platform, “Gut Instinct,” the team will deploy it to help people explore how different lifestyle activities and having MS (or not) are associated with changes in the microbiome. The goal is to bring MS communities into the conversation with a cheap, accessible digital tool that prioritizes lived experience.

STRATEGIC COLLABORATION

RESEARCH TEAM

Learning How Viruses Change Bacterial Behavior June Round, PhD Professor, Pathology, University of Utah

Patrick Secor, PhD Associate Professor, Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University

Some common gut bacteria are usually harmless but can also cause diseases like IBD, raising the question of what triggers such microbes to cause health problems. The team will investigate whether one contributing factor could be viruses called bacteriophages, which infect gut bacteria but leave human cells alone.

Although bacteriophages don’t infect human cells, they can prompt an immune reaction that may prevent their host bacteria from producing harmful substances. The research team will further investigate this phenomenon by comparing how the immune system responds to the same bacteria in people with and without IBD, discovering which bacteriophage genes make a difference in this interaction, and testing if the immune response affects the viruses.

Breck Duerkop, PhD Associate Professor, Immunology and Microbiology, CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Kyla Ost, PhD Assistant Professor, Immunology and Microbiology, CU Anschutz Medical Campus

RESEARCH TEAM

Investigating Microbial Contributors to Sepsis Risk

James Colbert, MD Assistant Professor, Infectious Disease, CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Daniel Leung, MD Professor, Internal Medicine, University of Utah

Sepsis, a severe, whole-body immune response to infection, is difficult to predict and often deadly. It typically starts when bacteria in the gut microbiome end up elsewhere in the body.

Though many bacteria can cause it, one bacterial species will usually dominate in a given patient. Researchers have extensively investigated the aspects of patient health that impact sepsis risk, but what makes a bacterial species more likely to become dangerous is relatively unknown.

The research team posits that the answer may have to do with the genetic diversity of each bacterial species. If a single bacterial species is more genetically diverse, they suspect, it’ll be more likely to thrive and expand, to the patient’s detriment. To test their hypothesis, they’ll compare gut microbiome samples from people with and without sepsis and ask if there are differences in withinspecies genetic diversity.

Seth Walk, PhD Professor, Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University

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“We’re trying to build a community of people who are not siloed...”

FEATURE Meeting of the Minds: David Cumming didn’t just fund microbiome research at the U; he united researchers across the region to further the field.

The 2025 edition of UtahMed, the alumni magazine for the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, is highlighting David Cumming’s commitment to microbiome research—and uniting the scientists and physicians who will take discoveries directly to patients.

“Because the microbiome is new in terms of research, we have the opportunity to come out of the box a little differently than other sciences that have been around for a long time,” Cumming said. “And what that means specifically is that we’re trying to build a community of people who are not siloed and who are eager to share their information, resources, and research with others.”

The 2025 edition of UtahMed will be released later this spring.

Current and past editions of UtahMed are available online at utahmedicine.org.

IN THE NEWS Tailocins: The Next Generation of Antibiotics Could Come from Viruses that Infect Bacteria

New Innovator Award Recognizes HighRisk, High-Reward Project to Measure Environmental Impacts on Health

Autism’s Missing Microbes May Influence Social Behavior

by Protecting the Gut

Microbiome Seed Grants Kickstart Collaborative Science

Collaborative Teams Awarded Funding to Investigate How the Microbiome Shapes Health

In Search of New Microscopy Tools to Observe How Cells Function Pioneering the Future: Redefining Diabetes

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WHAT’S NEXT FOR MAGIC Imagine utilizing the collective power of microbial communities in the human body to transform health care through a personalized microbial-based therapeutic system. This approach would involve mapping individual patients’ microbial ecosystems, understanding their interactions with human cells, and identifying their roles in health and disease.

Advanced sequencing technologies and artificial intelligence could help create detailed microbial profiles, leading to precise diagnostics and targeted treatments.

To realize this vision, researchers must establish a comprehensive microbial database from diverse populations and identify key microbial markers linked to diseases like autoimmune disorders and metabolic conditions. This could pave the way for tailored therapies, such as customized probiotics and prebiotics, to restore microbial balance and promote health.

Integrating microbiome research into mainstream medical practice would allow health care professionals to routinely assess patients’ microbial profiles, enabling early detection of health issues and informed treatment decisions. This may also lead to personalized dietary recommendations and lifestyle modifications to support a healthy microbiome.

Key to accomplishing this vision of personalized therapeutics is establishing a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility for growing therapeutic probiotics. Such a facility can produce highquality probiotic products and bacteriophages for antibiotic-resistant diseases, addressing health issues like obesity and chronic illnesses. It would also provide educational and training opportunities for students, enhancing their prospects in biotechnology careers.

The GMP facility could collaborate with established local companies in Utah, driving innovation and research in therapeutic probiotics. A GMP facility would be a strategic asset for MAGIC and the university while also contributing to the growth of the industry in Utah.

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