Ran Huo, PhD

This research focuses on the gut microbiota, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms through which intestinal microbial communities influence human health and disease. Situated at the intersection of microbiome science and immunology, it investigates how alterations in microbial composition and their metabolic outputs modulate host immune responses, inflammation, and disease progression.

A central area of inquiry is the relationship between gut microbial dysbiosis and cancer. Employing advanced methodologies such as high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic analysis, this work systematically characterizes microbial community structures across diverse physiological and pathological states. These approaches are further integrated with animal models and clinical samples to identify key microbial taxa and metabolic pathways that play functional roles in disease development.

In addition, the research explores the bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiota and host metabolism. For instance, microbial metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids, are examined for their roles in immune regulation and the maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity. Collectively, this body of work advances the understanding of host–microbe interactions and identifies potential targets for therapeutic intervention, particularly in the development of microbiome-based strategies for disease prevention and treatment.