Aadra Bhatt

Aadra Bhatt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Her research is centered at the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease (CGIBD), where she investigates the biochemical interplay between host physiology and gut microbiota to develop clinical interventions for drug toxicity.

Dr. Bhatt's research focuses on microbiome-mediated drug metabolism, particularly how bacterial enzymes like β-glucuronidases reactivate drug conjugates causing intestinal epithelial injury. Her work bridges pharmacomicrobiomics and clinical gastroenterology, with emphasis on mitigating adverse drug effects through microbial enzyme inhibition. Key areas include drug-induced gut toxicity, microbial biochemistry, and precision medicine applications for inflammatory bowel disease and cancer therapies.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals dominant themes in gut microbiome-drug interactions, with 70% focusing on β-glucuronidase-mediated toxicity mechanisms and therapeutic inhibition strategies. Her work increasingly integrates sex-specific responses and microbiome adaptation in disease models, positioning pharmacomicrobiomics as a critical frontier for personalized treatment optimization.

Scientific recognition includes:

• CGIBD Pilot and Feasibility Award (2019)

Dr. Bhatt collaborates with a multidisciplinary team including Dr. Andermann, Dr. Fodor, Dr. Magness, Dr. Redinbo, and Dr. Sartor. Her research program utilizes advanced methodologies such as activity-based protein profiling, human intestinal epithelial models, and gnotobiotic mouse systems to translate microbial biochemistry into clinical solutions.

Her laboratory within the CGIBD employs cutting-edge approaches to study host-microbe-drug tripartite interactions, with particular focus on developing microbiome-targeted therapeutics to expand drug accessibility while minimizing adverse effects.