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Microbiota-driven approaches to resolve neuroinflammation

EVENT: 
Weekly Seminar | Not Open to the Public
Who Should Attend: 
Researchers
Event Flyer: 
PDF icon villapol_7-29-25.pdf

Speakers

Speaker headshot
Assistant Professor
Department of Neurosurgery & Center for Neuroregeneration
Assistant Professor
Department of Neuroscience in Neurological Surgery
Weill Cornell Medical College

Abstract

Chronic neuroinflammation is a hallmark of many neurological disorders, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Long-COVID-associated cognitive dysfunction. Recent advances have revealed that the gut microbiota is critical in regulating systemic and central immune responses via the gut-brain axis. Disruption of the microbiota, through dysbiosis, exacerbates neuroinflammatory processes, while targeted modulation of microbial communities offers a promising therapeutic avenue for brain repair. Our lab research explores microbiota-driven strategies to resolve neuroinflammation and restore motor and cognitive functions. Using preclinical models of TBI and AD, we investigate how interventions such as antibiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplant influence immune activation, glial reactivity, and cognitive recovery. Multi-omics analyses, including metagenomics, metabolomics, and inflammatory profiling, reveal key microbial taxa and metabolites associated with improved outcomes. Our findings demonstrate that restoration of microbial balance attenuates microglial activation, reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and enhances behavioral recovery. These results support microbiota-targeted therapies as a novel and translational approach to resolve neuroinflammation and improve neurological function. 

Publications

Paula L. Scalzo, Austin G. Marshall, Sirena Soriano, Kristen Curry, Mario Dulay, Timea Hodics, Eamonn M. M. Quigley, Todd J. Treangen, María M. Piskorz, Sonia Villapol
Gut Microbiome dysbiosis and immune activation correlate with somatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms in COVID-19 patients
J Transl Med . 2025 Mar 14;23(1):327. doi: 10.1186/s12967-025-06348-y.
Morgan Holcomb, Austin Marshall, Hannah Flinn, Mariana Lozano, Sirena Soriano, Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, Todd J. Treangen, Sonia Villapol
Probiotic treatment causes sex-specific neuroprotection after traumatic brain injury in mice
Res Sq [Preprint]. 2024 Apr 2:rs.3.rs-4196801. [Version 1] doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4196801/v1
Hannah Flinn, Austin Marshall, Morgan Holcomb, Leonardo Cruz, Sirena Soriano, Todd J. Treangen, Sonia Villapol
Antibiotic treatment induces microbiome dysbiosis and reduction of neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury in mice
Res Sq [Preprint]. 2024 Jun 11:rs.3.rs-4475195. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4475195/v1.

When

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 - 12:30pm

Where

Conference Room: 
Billings Building – Rosedale

More Information

Darlene White