Meng Wu, Ph.D.

Research

The Wu lab will explore how early-life exposure to beneficial microbes programs the body’s tissue-building fibroblast cells to enhance immunity and tissue integrity. “Good” gut bacteria are increasingly recognized as master regulators of human health. But how do these microbes exert their beneficial effects across the individual’s lifespan? In preliminary studies, my work has amassed evidence suggesting that soon after birth, the intestine’s resident microbes trigger the expansion of fibroblasts that produce immune-boosting proteins—a development that correlates with an improved ability to fight infection. Now, using cutting-edge methods in microbial ecology, single-cell genomics, and proteomics, my lab will identify the molecular signals produced by beneficial microbes across key developmental stages (from infancy to adulthood), map how fibroblasts interpret and respond to these signals, and determine how these responses shape tissue environments and improve resistance to infection. Our findings could provide a blueprint for microbiome-guided strategies to promote tissue health and immunity and minimize inflammation and cancer progression.