Janelle Ayres

Janelle Ayres, PhD, is a Professor and Laboratory Head at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Her primary affiliations include the Gene Expression Laboratory, Molecular and Systems Physiology Laboratory, and the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis. She is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and holds the Salk Institute Legacy Chair. Ayres completed her BA in Molecular & Cell Biology at UC Berkeley, her PhD in Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford University, and a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley.

Her research focuses on understanding how host physiologies and microbial interactions promote health, particularly through disease tolerance mechanisms. She discovered the co-operative defense system, which allows hosts to survive infections without eliminating pathogens. This work challenges traditional antibiotic-dependent approaches and opens avenues for therapies targeting host-pathogen cooperation. Key areas include metabolic defenses, immunometabolism, and microbiome-driven health promotion.

Ayres' recent studies highlight drugs like fluoxetine (Prozac) as potential sepsis treatments by enhancing host tolerance. Her work also explores how pathogens evolve into symbiotic relationships with hosts, reducing infection threats. Major awards include the NIH Pioneer Award (2018), Blavatnik National Award (2018), and HHMI Investigator status (2024).

Her research spans interdisciplinary collaborations, including studies on cancer cachexia, microbiome-metabolome interactions in colorectal cancer, and age-related sepsis defenses. Ayres' lab integrates evolutionary theory, systems biology, and clinical insights to redefine strategies for managing infections and promoting healthy aging.