Alison Blanton
Postdoc
PhD
My research focuses on applying the principles of microbial ecology to the human microbiome. Specifically, I am investigating the environmental and community-level factors that drive the production of imidazole propionate (ImP), a bacterial metabolite derived from the amino acid histidine. Previous work has shown that ImP contributes to chronic inflammation and impaired glucose tolerance; however, little is known about the ecological conditions that promote its production. Ultimately, my research aims to elucidate these key determinants to better understand the mechanisms linking microbiome composition and productivity to host metabolic health.
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