Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) are a group of conditions clinically defined by gastrointestinal symptoms. While DGBIs are commonly occurring, they currently lack quantitative diagnostics or effective treatments particularly for pediatric patients. The field hypothesizes that they might arise from dysregulated gut-brain communication, however, their molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our research probes single-cell RNA sequencing data from intestinal biopsies of pediatric DGBI patients and healthy controls to systematically characterize cellular and molecular features associated with DGBI and its subgroups. We also employ quantitative image analysis of intestinal biopsies to validate our findings. Our goal is to provide a high-resolution view of cellular-level and molecular-level changes in pediatric DGBI, offering insight into potential immune mechanisms underlying the disorders that may contribute to developing improved molecular diagnostics and therapeutic strategies.

I’m excited to have the opportunity to study human disease and work with real patient data at the intersection of computation and medicine through my SuperUROP. As computational methods continue to advance, their potential to transform healthcare and medicine continues to grow, and I am eager to learn how to better contribute to the field by applying these tools to meaningful clinical questions. Sharing this experience with so many scholars who are just as passionate about research and progress in their respective disciplines as I am, I look forward to exchanging ideas and exploring what research like ours can accomplish in the years to come.