Wendy Garrett

Wendy Garrett is the Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with additional appointments in the Department of Molecular Metabolism and Harvard Medical School's Department of Medicine. Her research focuses on host-microbiota interactions in health and disease states, particularly examining inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC).

Garrett's work identifies specific microbial species, pathways, and metabolites that influence disease progression, emphasizing their dual roles in intestinal homeostasis and carcinogenesis. Her multi-disciplinary approach integrates meta'omics, cellular immunology, and cancer biology, employing mouse models, human specimens, and cell cultures to bridge population-level data with mechanistic studies.

Key publications highlight her contributions to microbial pathogenesis in CRC through Fusobacterium nucleatum research, diet-microbiome interactions in cancer risk, and precision medicine applications. Garrett's lab maintains extensive collaborations across Harvard-affiliated hospitals, Boston research institutions, and international centers.

Current research explores immunometabolism through the LKB1 pathway, microbial bioactivity in IBD therapeutics, and dietary interventions for microbiome modulation. The lab's work on engineered probiotics and metabolite receptors like Ffar2 indicates strong translational potential for novel therapeutics in gastrointestinal diseases.