Jonathan P. Jacobs, MD, PhD
Director, Microbiome Core, UCLA Microbiome Center
Principal Investigator

Dr. Jacobs graduated magna cum laude with highest honors from Harvard University with an AB in biochemistry. He subsequently received his MD from Harvard Medical School, graduating magna cum laude in a special field. During college and medical school, he trained in the laboratory of Diane Mathis and Christophe Benoist where he investigated the immunologic mechanisms of an autoantibody-mediated model of arthritis. This research was supported by a fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and resulted in three first-author publications, including one in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Stanford University then joined UCLA as a gastroenterology fellow in 2010. He pursued additional research training at UCLA through the Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program under the mentorship of Jonathan Braun. He was awarded a PhD in cellular and molecular pathology in 2015 and afterwards joined the UCLA Division of Digestive Diseases faculty. He co-founded the UCLA Microbiome Center in 2015 and now directs the Microbiome Core, which provides a comprehensive suite of microbiome-related services to support microbiome research by the UCLA scientific community.

Dr. Jacobs’ research explores the role of intestinal microbes in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other gastrointestinal disorders. This involves a translational approach that includes detailed characterization of patients’ microbiome by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolomics as well as modeling of the effect of disease-associated human microbial communities in humanized gnotobiotic mice (i.e. germ-free mice colonized with human microbiota). His research has been published in a number of scientific journals including Gastroenterology, Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Gut Microbes, Scientific Reports, and Microbiome. He also authored a review article, commentary, and two textbook chapters on intestinal host-microbiome interactions. His work was awarded Best Overall Abstract at the CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center Annual Research Meeting, the Fellow Abstract Prize from the American Gastroenterological Association, the Young Investigator Award at the Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit, and Best Basic Science Abstract at the Advances in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Conference. His ongoing projects employ animal models and multi’omics analysis of patient cohorts to define the role of IBD-associated genes in shaping the intestinal microbiome and to identify microbes and microbial products that promote IBD, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, and other diseases.

Venu Lagishetty, PhD
Manager, Microbiome Core, UCLA Microbiome Center
Project Scientist

Dr. Lagishetty received his undergraduate (1994-1997) and master's (1998-2000) degrees at Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. He received his PhD degree (biochemistry) in 2007 from the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India. He started his postdoctoral research at UCLA with Dr. Martin Hewison in 2007. His research explored the effects of vitamin D-insufficiency on immune function in mice and its impact on models of inflammatory bowel disease. He then joined Dr. Jonathan Braun's lab at UCLA as a research associate studying the intestinal microbiome. Currently, Dr. Lagishetty is an assistant project scientist in the Jacobs Lab studying the impact of local microbial communities on chronic mucosal inflammatory disease. He takes an active role in management of the UCLA Microbiome Core, which performs 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of human and animal samples. He is responsible for development of an integrated approach to study microbial ecology in the gut using metagenomics, metaproteomics, and metabolomics. Dr. Lagishetty has published over 29 papers in peer reviewed journals and has one issued patent. 

Tien Dong, MD
Gastroenterology Fellow

Dr. Dong is a current gastroenterology fellow and PhD candidate in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology at UCLA through the STAR program. He did his undergraduate training at Stanford and his medical school and residency training in internal medicine at the University of Chicago. While there, he investigated the role of the microbiome in the development of colon cancer under the mentorship of Dr. Eugene Chang. After arriving at UCLA for his GI fellowship, he joined the Jacobs Laboratory. His primary scientific interest is in the role of the gut microbiome in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic disorder. He is currently involved in several translational research projects investigating the role of the microbiome in hepatocellular carcinoma, microbial signaling after bariatric surgery, microbial profiles associated with liver fibrosis, and mechanisms of weight loss on a high protein diet. His role in the Microbiome Core involves analyzing 16s rRNA data using various established and novel methods including alpha and beta diversity analysis, differential taxa abundance in multivariate models, random forest classifiers, and metabolomic integration.

Nerea Arias, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar

Dr. Arias is a native of Bilbao, Spain. She received her BSc in biology from the Alcalá de Henares University, Spain, in 2012 and her MSc in microbiology from the University of Basque Country, Spain, in 2014. She then completed a PhD on immunology and microbiology from AZTI (a food research foundation) and the University of Basque Country, Spain, in 2018. Her PhD thesis was titled, "Exploring new frontiers in host-microbiome interactions using zebrafish." She studied the interactions between the microbiota and immune system in zebrafish fed a high-fat diet, and also tried to establish a humanized model of gnotobiotic zebrafish. After receiving her PhD, Dr. Arias worked in IATA-CSIS in Valencia, Spain, as a postdoctoral fellow on a project titled, "Metamorphosis." It involved use of zebrafish to test the effect of an insect protein supplement on microbiota and innate immunity. Dr. Arias has joined the Jacobs Laboratory to continue her training in the microbiome field. She will be involved in projects using human microbiota samples and gnotobiotic mice to further understand inflammatory bowel disease. 

Joseph Ebriana
Research Coordinator

Joseph is a recent UCLA graduate who earned his bachelor of science degree in anthropology. He originally attended UCSD for his undergraduate studies, but subsequently transferred to UCLA upon being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2015. Inspired by his diagnosis, Joseph immersed himself in the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) world by interning for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, volunteering as a counselor for the CCF’s Camp Oasis, and joining Dr. Jacobs’s Laboratory researching the effect of stress on brain-gut-microbiome interactions in both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients. He plans to use these experiences as the basis for his book, “How to Love Life with Crohn’s,” aimed at empowering children and young adults afflicted with IBD. In his free time, Joseph also works with the homeless as part of a student club he co-founded while at UCLA called the Homeless Help Project. He also enjoys playing basketball, piano, and is currently training for NBC’s hit show, America Ninja Warrior.

Meg Hauer
Undergraduate

Meg is a third year undergraduate student from Tucson, Arizona. She is currently studying human biology and society. She became excited about microbiome research after taking Intro to Society and Genetics. Her research in the Jacobs Laboratory focuses on the effect of inflammatory bowel disease associated microbial states on colitis and ileitis in humanized germ-free mice. At UCLA, she is involved in the Society and Genetics Undergraduate Organization, Bruins for Ronald McDonald House, and is a founder of the club, Love Your Melon. Meg is also the vice president of Academic Excellence for her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma.

Will Katzka
Technician

Will earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at The University of Chicago. Following graduation, Will worked as a laboratory technician under Dr. Stephanie Dulawa for The University of Chicago and later the University of California, San Diego. His research, while in the Dulawa Lab, focused on epistatic modifiers of the BTBD3 gene and its role in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Will first learned about the microbiome while researching the effects of the gut-brain axis on psychiatric disorders, then decided to focus specifically on the microbiome upon arriving at UCLA. Since joining the Jacobs Laboratory, Will has primarily worked with the Microbiome Core and also contributes to research involving transgenic animal models and co-cultures of microbes with epithelial/immune cells in order to gain a greater understanding of inflammatory bowel disease. 

Fengting Liang
Undergraduate

Fengting is a third year UCLA student from Thousand Oaks, California, who is currently pursuing a degree in physiological sciences. She has enjoyed learning about how the microbiome can affect health and various diseases, and is thankful for the opportunity to improve her laboratory skills while doing so. Fengting's responsibilities in the Jacobs Lab range from extracting, amplifying, and purifying DNA from mouse or human samples, as well as preparing tissue slides for histological analysis. In her free time, Fengting dances in Synthesis Dance Theater at UCLA, enjoys spending time with friends, and loves to explore all the food and activities LA has to offer.

Kayti Luu
Undergraduate

Kayti is a second year life sciences major at UCLA. Originally from Singapore and raised in Orange County, Kayti enjoys having the best of both cultures. She frequently travels back and forth between Southern California beaches and Singapore - often visiting tropical locales along the way - to mix in with both lifestyles. Her love for food and interest in how diet affects health motivated her to research the digestive diseases. She is currently studying the use of bacteriophages to target potentially pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli in inflammatory bowel disease. She is passionate about science and particularly enjoys working closely alongside her labmates to perform experiments as a team. An avid tennis player, Kayti enjoys participating in outdoor physical activities.

Lanna Pathman
Undergraduate

Lanna is a fourth year undergraduate student from Los Angeles, California. She is currently studying psychobiology and pursuing a career in medicine, particularly in the field of pediatrics. Lanna became interested in digestive diseases research after learning about the increasing importance of the microbiome and its role in human health and disease. Her research in the Jacobs Laboratory focuses on collecting microbiome samples, performing DNA extraction, creating histology slides, and processing human samples. At UCLA, Lanna is on the committee for mentorship, an organization that pairs UCLA students with youth from North Hollywood. She also served as the vice president of community service for her sorority, Kappa Delta. In her free time, Lanna enjoys yoga, exploring LA, spending time with friends and family, and working as a summer camp counselor.

Reza Farshchi
Research Coordinator

Originally from Tehran, Iran, Reza immigrated to the U.S. in his early teens and grew up in Santa Monica, CA. Reza graduated summa cum laude with both departmental and college honors from UCLA with a BA in philosophy in 2013. As an undergrad, he took an active role in various leadership positions and was president of Alpha Gamma Honor Society and Iranian Student Club, among others. Reza finds the brain-gut-microbiome interactions and its key role in gastrointestinal, emotional and behavioral disorders fascinating and as the research coordinator for multiple on-going projects at Dr. Jacobs’s Laboratory, he hopes to help in seeking a better understanding of the brain-gut-microbiome relationship. He enjoys reading, exercising, spending time with family and friends, and volunteering during his free time. He plans to attend medical school in the near future.

Edward Galfayan
Research Coordinator

Edward is a fourth-year biology major at UCLA. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and his interests include watching and participating in basketball, soccer, and water polo. Edward has had extensive experience aiding medical professionals and patients while volunteering at his local hospital, skills which he now applies to his research in the Jacobs laboratory. As a research coordinator, his role is to recruit patients with colon cancer prior to surgery and collect specimens for microbiome analysis as well as relevant clinical data. His study will investigate how surgery and chemotherapy affect the microbiome and how the microbiome influences the response to treatment. The effects of the gut microbiome on the human body and important diseases such as cancer are new and exciting areas of study, which is what drew Edward to this project.  

Nancy Huang, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow

Dr. Huang completed her undergraduate studies in computer science at the University of Oregon. After receiving a master's in biotechnology (bioinformatics track) from the University of Pennsylvania, she joined the IT industry as a researcher and developer to implement algorithms for virus and spam detection in emails. The knowledge and experience she gained in the industry inspired her to pursue further studies in the field, and led her to obtain a PhD degree in computer science from the National Taiwan University. Dr. Huang's research interest is in devising machine learning algorithms to solve biological puzzles. She is especially fascinated by contrast pattern mining and its applications. Her current project involves utilizing computational models to analyze microbiome and metabolomics data. 

Ben Kashanchi
Undergraduate

Ben is a fourth year undergraduate psychobiology major. Born and raised in Newport Beach, he chose to attend UCLA because of its beautiful campus, fantastic dining halls, and invaluable educational opportunities in the life sciences. His interest in the human body, particularly the digestive system, motivated him to join the Jacobs Laboratory, where he has been learning more about the role of the gut microbiome in the development of gastrointestinal diseases. In his free time, Ben loves to go to the beach, exercise, and talk about the NBA. After graduation, he hopes to attend medical school.

Carolina Koletic, MD
Researcher

Dr. Koletic earned her bachelors of science degree in anthropology at UCLA and her medical doctorate degree at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine. Since college her passion has been to help children manage chronic disease so that they may fulfill their potential as adults. She is an active volunteer since 2007 at Camp Conrad Chinnock, a youth type-1 diabetes camp where she conducted her undergraduate honors thesis studying the socialization of youth with type-1 diabetes. After graduating from college, she worked as a diabetes therapy associate at Medtronic helping patients gain access to insulin pump therapy. During medical school, she pursued her clinical interests in pediatric gastroenterology and endocrinology through clerkships in pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric endocrinology, and pediatric surgery at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego as well as in pediatric endocrinology at Children's Hospital of Orange County. For her graduating thesis in medical school, she authored a literature review on the extra-intestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease in children. She has joined Dr. Jacob's Laboratory to study the role of the microbiome in gastrointestinal as well as endocrine disorders.

Derek Li
Undergraduate

Derek is a sophomore majoring in microbiology, immunology, molecular genetics (MIMG). He is from Guilford, CT - a quiet town off New Haven, CT. He chose to attend UCLA not only because of the weather, but also because of the many research opportunities and the strong life science programs UCLA offered. Derek joined Dr. Jacob's Laboratory to learn more about the human microbiome and how certain bacteria can cause inflammatory bowel disease. His current project focuses on R-type bacteriocin therapy for IBD. Besides research, Derek volunteers for several on-campus organizations such as Bruin Shelter and Habitat for Humanity. He plans to go to medical school in the future.

Shumin Li
Undergraduate

Shumin is a senior majoring in veterinary medicine at Jilin University, China. She is a visiting student in Dr. Jacobs' lab through the CSST (Cross-disciplinary Scholars in Science and Technology) program this summer. She’s always fascinated with the microbiome world, an interdisciplinary area. Her previous research focused on how the gut microbiota influence susceptibility of diary cows to developing mastitis. She is now investigating in the Jacobs Lab whether dysbiosis of the gut microbiome precedes the development of IBD using family cohorts affected by IBD. Besides the wet lab work, she has also been very excited about using bioinformatic tools to decipher 16S ribosomal RNA sequence data. She appreciates this learning opportunity and enjoys the process of challenging herself to develop as a scientist.