Mindy Engevik

Mindy Engevik is an Assistant Professor at the College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology. Her research focuses on microbe-mucus interactions and pathogen-host interactions in intestinal environments.

• Molecular mechanisms of serotonin and Bifidobacterium dentium in mucus secretion and wound healing
• Pathogenesis of Clostridioides difficile and role of Fusobacterium nucleatum in biofilm formation
• Development of intestinal organoid models for studying microbial-host crosstalk

Her recent publications highlight interdisciplinary studies connecting microbial metabolism to neurotransmitter regulation and inflammatory responses. Collaborations span gastroenterology, bioinformatics, and biomaterials research.

Key scientific contributions include:

• Identification of Bifidobacterium dentium metabolites activating serotonin receptors in gut epithelium
• Characterization of Clostridioides difficile adherence mechanisms to intestinal mucus
• Development of gut-brain axis models using gnotobiotic mice
• Discovery of biofilm-enhancing interactions between Fusobacterium and Clostridioides difficile

Her work employs human intestinal organoids, metabolomics, and microbial bioinformatics to investigate epithelial repair mechanisms and pathogen colonization dynamics. The lab actively explores therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal diseases through microbial metabolite analysis.