NFHC Member- Dr. Robert Hutkins Spotlight Video

June 9th, 2022

We want you to get to know more about NFHC!  Stay tuned as we provide short videos of our PIs and students.  Get to know their lab, what they study, and how they complete their work.

Our faculty spotlight for June is Dr. Robert Hutkins!

The Hutkins lab studies bacteria important in human health and in fermented foods. The lab is particularly interested in understanding how diet and dietary food components influence the bacteria that reside in the gastrointestinal tract. The main goal is to understand and predict how diet-induced shifts in the microbiota ultimately influence human and animal health. Specifically, the lab is focused on prebiotic fibers and how these food components are selectively metabolized by member of the microbiota. We have developed a novel strategy for combining prebiotic fibers with selected strains of probiotic bacteria to enhance establishment of those organisms in the gastrointestinal tract. We also conduct clinical studies to assess the effects of prebiotic and probiotic interventions on gut barrier functions and other health outcomes.