[CEPCEB_All] IIGB Seminar: Dylan Dodd THIS WEEK 10/10

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*Dylan Dodd*
[image: Dylan Dodd]


* Exploring and Influencing Host Biochemistry Through the Microbiome*


*Date:* Friday, October 10

*Time:* 12:00 pm-1:00pm

*Location: *Genomics Auditorium 1102


*Abstract:*

The gut microbiome profoundly shapes human biochemistry through its
metabolic activity. Gut microbes produce small molecules that enter
circulation at pharmacologically relevant levels. At the same time,
microbial pathways can compensate for host metabolic deficiencies,
demonstrating the microbiome’s dual role as both a modulator and safeguard
of human physiology. Despite its importance, the molecular mechanisms
underlying these microbial-host metabolic interactions remain poorly
understood. In this talk, I will present two recent advances from our lab
that bridge this gap. First, we uncovered the 2,8-dioxopurine pathway, a
pathway that microbes use to break down purines such as uric acid in the
gut. This pathway compensates for the loss of the enzyme uricase during
human evolution and shows promise as a new therapy to treat gout, a disease
affecting ~50 million adults worldwide. Second, we developed a
high-throughput mass spectrometry platform to systematically map microbial
metabolism. By screening a bacterial transposon library, we identified more
than 40 mutants with distinct metabolic phenotypes, revealing previously
unknown metabolic circuits that govern core microbiome functions. Together,
these studies demonstrate how decoding microbial metabolism can yield both
biological insights and translational opportunities.
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