Our research interests focus on neonatal intestinal inflammation and the impact of probiotics. We are (1) investigating immune responses during neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which is a leading cause of gastrointestinal morbidity and mortality in premature infants; (2) determining the mechanisms by which probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri regulates intestinal inflammation. We are using NEC and Treg-deficient mice to better understand how the immune cells including TH1, TH17, Treg, and dendritic cells respond to probiotics, and which cells control the level of gastrointestinal inflammation in the newborn. In addition, we are studying how breast milk factors may potentiate the effect of Lactobacillus reuteri on immune cell differentiation (NIH/NCCAM 1R01 AT 007083).
