Microbiome Symposium

Friday, March 27, 2026| Corcoran Heights Room|(Registration closes March 22nd)

About the Symposium

Boston College (Ƶ) Microbiome Symposium aims to bring together researchers, scholars, and practitioners interested in the field of microbiome. The event is on Friday, March 27, from 9:30 am to 6 pm. The event is organized by Ƶ research labs across different schools and departments (Nursing, Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology). Trainee participation at all levels and from different disciplines is encouraged, and opportunities for oral and poster presentations are offered. To register for the event and submit an abstract, please visit the .

The abstract submission deadline is March 10.

The registration for this event closes on March 22.

Shelly A. Buffington

Shelly A. Buffington


Baylor College of Medicine

Shelly A. Buffington


Baylor College of Medicine

Talk title: "Therapeutic targeting of the gut microbiome in mouse models for and children with autism"

Kazuki Nagashima

Kazuki Nagashima


Harvard University

Kazuki Nagashima


Harvard University

Talk title: “Mapping the T cell repertoire to a model system of the human gut microbiome”

Fatima Hussain

Fatima Hussain


Tufts University

Fatima Hussain


Tufts University

Talk title: “From Ecology to Intervention: Harnessing Ecological Principles in Vaginal Microbiome Therapies”

Dr. Travis Gibson

Dr. Travis Gibson


Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Dr. Travis Gibson


Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Talk Title: "Cytokine profiling reveals gut immune dynamics and disease state"

Friday, March 27, 2026 -Corcoran Heights Room

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Breakfast & Registration

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Invited Speaker: Dr. Shelly A. Buffington

“Therapeutic targeting of the gut microbiome in mouse models for and children with autism”

10:45 - 11:30 AM
Career Panel for Undergrad Researchers
11:30 - 12:00 PM

Trainee Data Blitz

  • Anna Lally (Boston College),“Alterations in oxytocin andvasopressin systems in thedeveloping gut-brain axis followingprenatal exposure to air pollutionand maternal stress: a role for milk”
  • Sushrut Jangi (Tufts),“Branched-chain fatty acids inhibit Candidagrowth and biofilm formation”
  • Evan Lai (M20 Genomics),“Single-Bacterium Transcriptomics RevealsFunctional Heterogeneity inComplex Microbiomes”
12:00 - 1:15 PMLunch
1:15 - 2:00 PM

Invited Speaker: Dr. Kazuki Nagashima

“Mapping the T cell repertoire to a model system of the human gut microbiome”

2:00 - 2:30 PM

Invited speaker: Dr. Travis Gibson

“Cytokine profiling reveals gut immunedynamics and disease state”

2:30 - 3:00 PM

Trainee Data Blitz

  • Sailajah Gukathasan (BostonCollege), “Mucin degradationpromotes enzymatic remodelingand metabolic cross-feeding in thegut microbiome”
  • Purna Shah (Boston University),“Human Contraceptive AntibodyFab- and Fc-mediated functions areenhanced by sialidases fromdysbiotic vaginal bacteria”
  • Arushi Katyal (Boston College), "Drivers of Instability in theMacArthur Consumer ResourceModel: The Roles of Recycling,Leakage, and Niche Overlap”
3:00 - 3:30 PMCoffee Break
3:30 - 4:15 PM

Invited speaker: Dr. Fatima Hussain

“From Ecology to Intervention: Harnessing Ecological Principles in Vaginal Microbiome Therapies”

4:15 - 4:45 PMTrainee Data Blitz
4:45 - 6:15 PMPoster Session & Reception

Campus Map and Parking

The event will be held in the Heights Function Room located in on the Chestnut Hill campus of Boston College.

Visitor parking is available at the nearby .

We encourage the use of public transportation.Boston College is accessible via .


Directions, Maps, and Parking

Visitor Parking Information

Back To Top