David Mills

Dr. David Mills is a Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on microbial ecology in food fermentations and gut health, particularly linking genomic content, ecological context, and microbial behavior. Key areas include probiotics, prebiotics, and the role of dietary components like milk oligosaccharides in shaping gut microbiota.

His work spans food science innovations, such as optimizing membrane filtration for dairy byproduct valorization, and translational research on microbiome impacts in health (e.g., asthma, cognitive function, and metabolic disorders). Notable studies explore microbial remodeling of tryptophan metabolism for viral suppression and the development of a food glycomic database to link diet to insulin resistance.

• Key Themes: Microbial glycobiology, infant gut colonization, and bioactive food components.
• Techniques: Metagenomics, transcriptomics, and animal model studies.

Dr. Mills collaborates internationally, with projects in Armenia, Georgia, and Bangladesh examining global variations in breastfeeding and microbiome development. His research has implications for infant nutrition, probiotic efficacy, and mitigating diet-related diseases through microbiome modulation.