Howard C. Hang, PhD

The Hang laboratory is broadly interested in the molecular mechanisms by which chemical signals modulate host-microbe interactions in health and disease. These chemical signals may be derived from host metabolism or the environment (diet or microbiota) and can significantly affect host physiology, disease and response to therapy. To dissect the chemical mechanisms that govern host-microbe interactions, my laboratory has developed methods to characterize metabolite-protein interactions and discovered their unpredicted functions in cell biology, host immunity and pathogen virulence. We have also utilized chemical biology approaches and employed key animal models to discover and characterize novel protective factors from specific microbiota species and are translating these discoveries towards human health and disease.