The last paper from my masters has been accepted!

(I graduated in 2023)

Explained an osmotic drug pump to an undergrad today by comparing it to a CoronaRita

Overall, this study emphasizes the significance of microbial diversity in early life and its potential to influence metabolic diseases like diabetes.

Interestingly, C. dub requires macrophages to increase beta cell mass. The specific composition of the fungal cell wall (specifically differences in mannan and chitin) may play a role in this process.

The microbiota also plays an important role in seeding islet-resident macrophages.

In early life, macrophages promote beta cell mass expansion. Depleting macrophages in mice reduced insulin-producing tissue, indicating their role in beta cell expansion.

Multiple microbes were found to play a role in this process including Candida dubliniensis (C. dub) but not closely related C. albicans.

Colonization of the pup with C. dub also coincided with the critical window of beta cell expansion in early life.

Germ free mouse pups had reduced beta cell mass compared to mice with a normal microbiota indicating that the microbiota plays an important role in beta cell proliferation.

On the way to #AES2024! I’ll be presenting posters on Saturday and Sunday. Stop by if you want to chat viral-induced epilepsy, neuroinflammation, or the microbiota 🦠🧠🐭

(Details on the posters below)

Oh…thanks for keeping track of that

Emails from undergrads 💕

You guys, look what finally showed up 😍