Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center
2026 AGA Research Foundation awardees
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Research Foundation awards more than $2 million annually to advance discoveries in gastroenterology and hepatology. In 2026, Drs. Jonathan P. Jacobs and Devesha Kulkarni received AGA Pilot Research Awards to support innovative new research directions.
$5.4M award for research on a vaccine against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori
Jonathan D. Herman, MD, PhD, received a $5.4 million, four-year award from the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA for research on a vaccine against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The award is part of a larger gift from Dr. Gary K. Michelson to the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII) to establish the Microbiome Vaccine Program (MVP).
A milestone moment for microbiome science at UCLA
Elaine Y. Hsiao, PhD, director of the UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, was appointed as the inaugural holder of the newly established Goodman-Luskin Endowed Chair in Microbiome Research.
Latest news
How the gut microbiome influences estrogen after menopause
Dr. David Meriwether discusses how gut microbes may contribute to circulating estrogen levels even after menopause, why menopausal symptoms vary so widely among women, and how changes in the microbiome may create feedback loops that influence symptom severity.
Quality of relationships may be just as important to physical health as traditional risk factors like exercise and diet
Strong social relationships, particularly high-quality marriages, may help protect against obesity by influencing a complex communication system between the brain and gut, according to new research lead by Dr. Arpana Church.
Babies’ gut bacteria may influence future emotional health
A child’s early gut microbiome may influence their risk of developing depression, anxiety or other internalizing symptoms in middle childhood, according to a new UCLA Health study led by Dr. Bridget Callaghan. The effect appears to be related to the way bacteria are linked to communication across emotion-related brain networks.
Sped-up evolution may help bacteria take hold in gut microbiome
UCLA-led research team finds a genetic mechanism inserts mutations into key DNA hotspots that enable bacteria to adapt to new environments.
How stress and social struggles fuel America’s obesity crisis
A new scientific review, led by Dr. Arpana Church, reveals how the brain-gut microbiome acts as a bridge between a person’s environmental influences and their risk of obesity through the production of various signaling molecules including appetite-stimulating hormones, inflammatory markers and neuroactive metabolites. These chemical changes, in turn, affect what a person decides to eat, how often they eat, the quantity of food they eat, what types of food they crave, metabolic function and exercise habits.
Kids with autism show altered gut microbiome-brain interactions
A collaborative study by scientists from UCLA and USC may have unlocked new information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the gut microbiome. Changes in the relative amounts of such metabolites may interfere with the signaling between the gut and brain, influencing emotions and associated behaviors. Emeran A. Mayer, MD, contributed to the study along with co-senior author Jennifer S. Labus, PhD.