Margaret Alexander

Dr. Margaret Alexander is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she leads a research laboratory focused on the interactions between diet, the gut microbiota, and the immune system in autoimmune diseases. She began her independent career at UW-Madison in January 2024 after completing postdoctoral training at UCSF.

Her educational background includes:

• B.S. in Biology from Carleton College
• Ph.D. from the University of Utah under Dr. Ryan O'Connell, studying immune cell communication
• Postdoctoral work at UCSF with Dr. Peter Turnbaugh on microbiota-immune interactions in autoimmunity

Dr. Alexander's research centers on decoding mechanistic interactions between diet, microbiota, and immune responses using mouse models, gnotobiotics, anaerobic microbiology, and sequencing. Her lab investigates how dietary components shape microbial metabolism and immune function, with particular focus on Th17 cell regulation, microbial enzyme activity, and metabolite-mediated host responses in conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. This work bridges fundamental microbiology with translational applications for autoimmune disease treatment.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals three dominant trends: (1) Identification of specific microbial metabolites (e.g., lactate, polyphenol derivatives) that modulate immune pathways; (2) Development of precision tools for microbiome manipulation including phage-delivered CRISPR; and (3) Investigation of dietary interventions (ketogenic diets, prebiotics) as therapeutic strategies. Her work consistently connects microbial metabolic capabilities to host immune outcomes in autoimmunity.

Her scientific contributions have been recognized through prestigious awards:

• T32 fellowship
• F32 fellowship
• K99/R00 career development award

Dr. Alexander mentors a diverse research team using a philosophy emphasizing collaboration, creativity, and clear communication. She currently advises two Ph.D. students (Wenxuan Dong and Gillian Hughes) and supervises postdoctoral scholars, with structured mentoring through weekly 1:1 meetings and annual planning sessions. Her lab has secured significant grant funding including NIH K99/R00 support for her diet-microbiome-immune axis research.

The Alexander Lab operates within the Microbial Sciences Building at UW-Madison as a dynamic interdisciplinary team comprising postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, a research specialist, and undergraduate researchers. They employ integrated approaches spanning microbial ecology, immunology, and systems biology to unravel complex host-microbe-diet interactions, with ongoing projects focused on microbial enzyme characterization, therapeutic dietary strategies, and microbiome-based biomarkers for autoimmune disease progression.