How The Microbiome Influences Our Risk of Viral Infections with Jennifer Fulcher, MD PhD | MGC Ep. 74

In this episode of The Mind Gut Conversation, I speak with Dr. Jennifer Fulcher, an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at UCLA, and a rising star in the Goodman Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA. Her research is supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Doris Duke Foundation, and the California HIV Research Program. Her current research focuses on the effects of HIV and substance use on the gut and oral microbiomes. In our conversation, we addresses some intriguing questions, including: 1) Does the gut microbiome play a role in resilience and resistance to viral infections? 2) Does gut dysbiosis and inflammatory blood markers precede HIV infection? 3) What is the role of the microbiome in susceptibility and severity of COVID-19?