News
$5.4M award for research on a vaccine against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori
Jonathan D. Herman, MD, PhD, received a $5.4 million, four-year award from the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA for research on a vaccine against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The award is part of a larger gift from Dr. Gary K. Michelson to the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII) to establish the Microbiome Vaccine Program (MVP). The MVP is a collaboration between the CIII and the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center in the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases to develop microbial vaccines for gastrointestinal cancers and other inflammatory conditions. H. pylori is a common bacterium that can be associated with heartburn, ulcers and gastric cancer. Though it was first discovered in the early 1980s, a lack of scientific tools has made it challenging to answer many questions that are necessary for vaccine development, such as exactly how much natural resistance adults have against H. pylori infection and where in the body a vaccine will generate an immune response. The award will help answer those questions — and many more. The funds will go towards Dr. Herman’s work within the MVP, as well as a collaborative project with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. Dr. Herman will spearhead data science and machine learning to understand what antibody responses can be protective from H. pylori. They will leverage techniques within proteomics, a relatively new way of studying the entire set of proteins produced by an organism, to identify which generate the most robust antibody responses. “This is an innovative way of integrating the microbiome with cutting-edge immunology to drive the development of vaccines,” he said. He shared his gratitude for Center Director Elaine Y. Hsiao, PhD, who was recently installed as the inaugural Goodman-Luskin Microbiome endowed professor. Dr. Hsiao has been shepherding Dr. Herman's participation in the MVP.
A milestone moment for microbiome science at UCLA
At a celebratory gathering at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center on February 3, colleagues, supporters, and friends of the university came together to honor a pivotal moment for microbiome research at UCLA. Elaine Y. Hsiao, PhD, director of the UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, was appointed as the inaugural holder of the newly established Goodman-Luskin Endowed Chair in Microbiome Research.
The endowed chair—made possible through a remarkable $2 million gift—reflects the continued generosity and vision of Donald and Andrea Goodman and Meyer and Renee Luskin. Their contribution forms part of a larger $20 million investment made in 2023 to launch the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center within the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Their shared commitment to advancing scientific understanding has laid the groundwork for discoveries that could transform how we approach health, disease, and human biology. Designed to support a permanent faculty appointment, the Goodman-Luskin Endowed Chair recognizes leaders who are pushing the boundaries of microbiome science. The donors envisioned a chairholder who exemplifies excellence in both research and mentorship—someone whose work illuminates key subfields such as brain-gut-microbiome communication, microbiome-immune interactions, or the complex relationship between diet and microbial ecosystems.
With her pioneering research, collaborative spirit, and dedication to cultivating the next generation of scientists, Dr. Hsiao embodies every facet of that vision. Her appointment marks not only a personal achievement, but also a milestone for UCLA as it continues to shape the future of microbiome research worldwide.
How the gut microbiome influences estrogen after menopause
Menopause is often described as a simple decline in estrogen production, but emerging microbiome research suggests the story is far more complex. David Meriwether, PhD, assistant adjunct professor of medicine, discusses how gut microbes may contribute to circulating estrogen levels even after menopause, why menopausal symptoms vary so widely among women, and how changes in the microbiome may create feedback loops that influence symptom severity. He discussion also places this research in the broader context of recent findings published in Nature linking the gut microbiome to health, aging, and disease. Listen to The Mind-Gut Conversation Podcast