Background pattern of a brain with neural connections
Sarkis Mazmanian

Sarkis Mazmanian

Co-PI (Core Leadership)

California Institute of Technology

Sarkis Mazmanian, Ph.D. is the Luis & Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology in the Division of Biology & Biological Engineering at Caltech, in Pasadena CA. His laboratory pioneered the concept that studying the gut microbiome may lead to novel concepts in drug development for certain immunologic and neurological diseases, work that has resulted in several ongoing clinical trials. Dr. Mazmanian has enjoyed numerous honors including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” award. Most importantly, He has trained many students and fellows who have gone on to successful independent careers in science, medicine and industry.

Teams

Gradinaru Sulzer

Themes

PD Functional Genomics

Recent ASAP Preprints & Published Papers

The gut microbiome promotes mitochondrial respiration in the brain of a Parkinson’s disease mouse model

The pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves gene-environment interactions that impair various cellular processes including mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria-associated mutations increase PD risk, respiration is altered in the PD brain, and mitochondria-damaging toxicants cause PD-like motor and gastrointestinal symptoms in animal models. The gut microbiome is altered in PD, representing an…

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, depleted in the Parkinson's disease microbiome, improves motor deficits in α-synuclein overexpressing mice

Gut microbiome composition is altered in Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor dysfunction and frequently accompanied by gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Notably, microbial taxa with anti-inflammatory properties are consistently depleted in PD patients compared to controls. To explore whether specific gut bacteria may be disease-protective, we assembled a…

Team Gradinaru

Viviana Gradinaru

Viviana Gradinaru

Lead PI (Core Leadership)
Andrew (Drew) Fox

Andrew (Drew) Fox

Co-PI (Core Leadership)
Sarkis Mazmanian

Sarkis Mazmanian

Co-PI (Core Leadership)
Ashley Seifert

Ashley Seifert

Co-PI (Core Leadership)
David Van Valen

David Van Valen

Co-PI (Core Leadership)
Catherine Oikonomou

Catherine Oikonomou

Project Manager

Team Sulzer

David Sulzer

David Sulzer

Lead PI (Core Leadership)
Cecilia Arlehamn

Cecilia Arlehamn

Co-PI (Core Leadership)
Ashley Harms

Ashley Harms

Co-PI (Core Leadership)
Sarkis Mazmanian

Sarkis Mazmanian

Co-PI (Core Leadership)
April Frazier

April Frazier

Project Manager

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