John F. Rawls

John F. Rawls is a James B. Duke Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University School of Medicine, with joint appointments as Professor of Cell Biology and Professor in Medicine. He is also a Member of the Duke Cancer Institute. His research program seeks to understand how the intestinal microbiome contributes to vertebrate physiology and disease through integrative approaches combining zebrafish and mouse models.

Dr. Rawls' laboratory has identified novel mechanisms by which intestinal bacteria regulate dietary fat metabolism and systemic innate immunity. His work applies genomic approaches to uncover transcriptional regulatory pathways utilized by the intestinal epithelium in response to the microbiome. These studies have revealed evolutionarily conserved mechanisms that contribute to human diseases including inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, and diabetes. His lab developed the zebrafish as a model system for studying adipose tissues and identifying environmental and genetic regulators of adiposity.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on host-microbiome interactions across multiple physiological systems. His work spans from basic mechanisms of microbial sensing and nutrient metabolism to translational studies examining microbial determinants of obesity and efficacy of weight loss interventions. Current research directions include investigations into gut-brain communication, respiratory microbiome dynamics, and the role of specific bacterial metabolites in host physiology.

Dr. Rawls has secured substantial research funding from major agencies including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Simons Foundation. His current projects investigate the gut microbiome's role in graft-versus-host disease, mechanisms of gut dysmotility in autism models, and microbial regulation of intestinal epithelial gene expression.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis (2001) and a B.S. from Emory University (1996). Dr. Rawls has published extensively in high-impact journals, with his work frequently highlighted for advancing understanding of host-microbiome relationships and identifying novel therapeutic targets for human diseases.

• Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis (2001)
• B.S. from Emory University (1996)

• National Institutes of Health: "The Gut Microbiome and Development of Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Children" (2025-2030)
• National Institutes of Health: "Tri-Institutional Molecular Mycology and Pathogenesis Training Program" (2024-2029)
• Simons Foundation: "Gut-intrinsic mechanisms of gut dysmotility in animal models of autism" (2025-2028)