Diet is a major driver of the gut microbiome, yet the microbiome-mediated mechanisms that link diet to various diseases are poorly understood. Our research is focused on discerning these mechanisms and the underlying immunological processes via interactions of the microbiome with the colonic mucus barrier. Since the modern diet of developed nations includes significantly reduced dietary fiber, our lab seeks to understand how the fiber-deprived gut microbiome impacts our health and contributes to disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, food allergy and multiple sclerosis. We aim to design dietary therapeutics to strengthen the mucosal barrier and to improve health.