Jonathan P. Jacobs

Jonathan P. Jacobs is an Assistant Professor-in-Residence at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) within the Medicine department. His research focuses on the gut microbiome, its interactions with metabolic disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, neurogastroenterology, and autoimmune conditions. He leads NIH-funded studies examining how dietary and environmental factors shape microbiome dynamics.

Research Interests

Jacobs investigates the microbiome's role in health and disease, including:

• Microbial contributions to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer
• Effects of bariatric surgery on microbiome-immune interactions
• Environmental exposures (e.g., particulate matter, pesticides) altering microbiome composition
• Microbial influences on neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease
• Sex differences in gut-brain axis connectivity

Recent Publication Trends

Jacobs' 2025-2024 work spans neuroscience, gastroenterology, and nutritional sciences, with recurring themes of:

• Microbial profiling in obesity, IBS, and cancer
• Brain-gut axis studies using imaging and metabolomics
• Environmental factors (air pollution, pesticides) affecting microbiome
• Therapeutic microbiome modulation (probiotics, fecal transplants)
• Sex-specific microbiome patterns across diseases
• Role of metals and metabolites in microbial dysregulation

Grants & Collaborations

He serves as Principal Investigator for NIH grant IK2CX001717, exploring microbiome modulation in obesity via high-protein diets. His work involves collaborations across UCLA's medical school, microbiome centers, and multidisciplinary teams in gastroenterology, neurology, and environmental health.