Ravinder Nagpal (a.k.a. Ravi), PhD.
Lab Director and Team Leader
A food and gut microbiologist by training, Ravi is the biome geek and fanatic front-runner of the lab. His overarching mission is to decode how our diet and nutrition regulate and modulate our gut microbial communities and how this diet-biome interaction influences our health. Ultimately, he aims to excavate novel microbiome-based targets and therapies that can help prevent/ameliorate human diseases and improve human health and wellbeing. His lab specializes in executing multi-dynamic techniques including metagenomics, metabolomics, culturomics, and bioinformatics along with in-vitro, preclinical and clinical milieus to solve intricate mysteries of the extremely diverse and dynamic microbial world dwelling inside our gut. He has a wide array of multidisciplinary collaborations with experts in nutrition sciences, microbiology, cardiovascular biology, immunology, neuroscience, aging, and sepsis to gain comprehensive understanding of the role of our gut bugs in multiple aspects of our health.
More info on his scientific background and credentials can be found here:
| Bio | PubMed/NCBI | Google Scholar | ORCID | Linkedin
Poonam Sharma, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Poonam joined the Gut Biome Lab in Fall 2025 with an academic background in Microbiology. She holds a B.S. from Barkatullah University, an M.S. from D.A.V.V., and a Ph.D. from Barkatullah University, with her research conducted at the ICMR-NIREH in Madhya Pradesh, India. Her work primarily focuses on understanding how nutritional interventions affect cardiovascular disease (CVD), with a particular interest in the role of gut microbiome. She investigates how dietary changes may influence cardiovascular health by modulating the gut microbiota, aiming to uncover the microbial mechanisms underlying these effects.
For any queries, feel free to reach out at ps25n@fsu.edu Google Scholar |
Gwoncheol Ian Park
Graduate Research Assistant & PhD Candidate
Ian holds a bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Biotechnology and a master’s degree in Human Microbiome from Sejong University in Seoul, South Korea. In the fall of 2022, he joined The Gut Biome Lab, bringing his expertise in bioinformatics. Since then, he has been dedicated to exploring the role of gut pathobiome signatures in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, using transgenic mouse models.
For any queries, feel free to reach out at gp21p@fsu.edu Google Scholar |
Cole Patoine
Graduate Teaching Assistant & PhD Candidate
Cole graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2017 with a B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics. He was then accepted into a dietetic internship and M.S. program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. After becoming a Registered Dietitian in 2021, Cole worked in an outpatient diabetes clinic before joining The Gut Biome Lab. Cole hopes to pursue further research on the gut microbiome and its role in the development and management of diabetes.
For any queries, feel free to reach out at cjp23a@fsu.edu
Raj Ojha
Graduate Research Assistant & PhD STUDENT
Raj, born and educated in Rajasthan, India, completed his B.Sc. at M.L.S. University and went on to earn his M.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Kota. He has worked as a Junior Research Fellow at ICMR-NIREH and Genomics Application Specialist at Nucleome Informatics Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad. His interests focus on the onset of non-communicable diseases, particularly Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, and Insulin Resistance, through the lens of gut microbiome. He believes it’s all witchcraft until science catches up.
For any queries, feel free to reach out at ro25a@fsu.edu Google Scholar |
Lily Houser
Graduate Teaching Assistant & MS Thesis Dietetic Intern
Lily graduated from Florida State University in 2024 with her B.S. in Dietetics and is now continuing her educational career at FSU to obtain her M.S. in Nutrition and Food Science, in coordination with the Clinical Nutrition Dietetic Internship. She is specializing in eating disorder treatment as she works toward becoming a Registered Dietitian. Lily has become a member of the Gut Biome Lab to further her experience in research and to understand the pathogenesis of disease states—particularly Alzheimer’s and IBD—and how the gut may help address knowledge gaps within these conditions. Lily plans to continue her education post-M.S. and use her future RD credential to educate others on the power of nutrition and disease prevention.
For any queries, feel free to reach out at lfh20n@fsu.edu
Joohyeong Kim
MS Thesis Student
JooHyeong joined the master’s degree program in Food Science at Florida State University and became a member of the Gut Biome Lab in Fall 2025. He earned his B.S. degree in Food Science and Technology at Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea, where he also gained two years of laboratory experience focusing on microbial fermentation and functional foods. Building on this foundation, his current research interests lie in the interplay between diet, the gut microbiome, and human health, with a particular focus on metabolic conditions and disease prevention. He is especially motivated by the potential of food-derived bioactive compounds and microbiome modulation to contribute to innovative strategies for improving human health.
For any queries, feel free to reach out at jk25v@fsu.edu
Gretchen Perez
Undergraduate, Nursing
"I aspire to help others to the best of my abilities, therefore, I constantly love learning and educating myself to understand the human body through every loop possible. Being part of this lab has been an amazing opportunity to grow and be more involved with my interests in health professions and food sciences!"
Merrill Sonne
Undergraduate, Public health
"In the future, I hope to pursue a career in research, and under the guidance of Dr. Nagpal and the rest of the team, my interest in this field has grown dramatically. Through this opportunity, I have learned the relevance of the Gut biome in all aspects of life and hope to apply this knowledge in future endeavors within public health."
Vijay Baksh
Undergraduate, Biology
"I plan to become a Forensic Biologist or perform research surrounding Molecular Biology. Through additional research, my fascination has been shaped towards Gut Microbiota and how it affects the numerous pathways within the body. I hope to not only expand my knowledge surrounding these topics but also grow as a person."
McKayla Vickers
Undergraduate, Exercise Physiology
Raised in Florida as a military child, I am now a senior planning to pursue graduate studies in exercise physiology. My interest in the gut microbiome is driven by its function as a crucial link between our environment, biology, and health. This connection has the potential to transform our approach to disease prevention and treatment, and I aim to leverage this understanding in medical school to contribute to public health improvements.
Rachel Fine
Undergraduate, UROP program
Amber Annand
Undergraduate, UROP program
Lab Alumni
Saurabh Kadyan, PhD
PhD in Human Science
Graduated in Spring 2025
Saiful Anuar Bin Singar, PhD
PhD in Human Science
Graduated in Spring 2025
Núria Ibars
Youth & Science program, Barcelona
Visiting scholar, Summer 2024
Katelyn Johnson
MS Thesis Student
Graduated in the Fall 2023
Nate Hochuli
UG Honors Thesis and lab assistant
Graduated in the Summer 2023
Lauren Russell
Undergraduate
Worked in the lab 2022-2023
The Gut Biome Lab
Lab members (Oct. 2024)
Dr. Nagpal and Ph.D. students (Oct. 2024)
Nate, Kate, and Saurabh
