Current Projects

Current clinical research studies in The Nutrition and Human Microbiome Laboratory include:

  • Avocado Study
    A randomized controlled trial that aims to understand the effects of avocado intake on metabolic and cognitive health
  • Fecal Microbiome Transplant Study
    A multi-center longitudinal study investigating dietary predictors of fecal microbiota transplantation success in patients with Clostridium difficile infections conducted with Carle Hospital and OSF St. Francis Medical Center
  • Almond, Walnut, and Whole Grain Interventions
    Randomized controlled trials assessing the impact of almonds, walnuts, and whole grains on the fecal microbiome conducted in partnership with the USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center
  • Formulating Intervention Trials for the GUT (FITGUT)
    An randomized crossover trial looking at the impact of physical activity on the gastrointestinal microbiome in previously sedentary individuals
  • Moving Toward Individualized Medicine: Understanding Dietary Predictors of the Human Gastrointestinal Microbiome
    An evaluation of the complex interactions between dietary components, gastrointestinal bacteria, and bacterial metabolites conducted in collaboration with the Illinois Applied Research Institute
  • Mayo-Illinois Alliance Obesity Intervention
    An intervention study investigating the effects of caloric restriction on the gastrointestinal microbiomes of overweight and obese adults
  • Retrospectively Studying the Effects of Early Life Nutrient Intake on Cognitive Function and Brain Health in Preadolescent Children (RETLU)
    A retrospective study examining the effects of early life feeding methods on preadolescent brain health and cognitive function
  • Fermented Dairy Study
    A prospective randomized controlled trial investigating the impacts of probiotic and prebiotic supplementation on behavioral and biomedical markers of cognition and stress