Michael Shapira

Michael Shapira is a Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on host-microbe interactions, utilizing the genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the interplay between host genetics, gut microbiome dynamics, immunity, and aging. His lab explores molecular mechanisms, ecological constraints, and evolutionary implications of these interactions.

Key research themes include the role of host genetic factors in shaping gut microbiome structure and function, the impact of commensal microbes on immune responses and pathogen resistance, and the influence of aging on host-microbe symbiosis. His publications highlight studies on microbial community assembly, stress signaling pathways, and host-pathogen trade-offs mediated by microbiome complexity.

The lab maintains an open-access microbiome resource (CeMbio) and employs interdisciplinary approaches spanning molecular genetics to ecological modeling. Specific methodologies involve C. elegans as a model host, investigation of signaling pathways like JNK homolog KGB-1 and TGFβ/BMP, and analysis of antagonistic pleiotropy in aging contexts.