Pathobiology 2027

The microbiome not merely as a collection of organisms, but as an immune organ — a dynamic ecosystem that continuously shapes immune development, homeostasis, tolerance, and inflammatory disease. Once viewed primarily as a local regulator of intestinal immunity, the gut microbiome is now recognized as a key driver of immune responses throughout the body. This session examines how microbial signals influence gut myeloid cell biology and how intestinal barrier dysfunction promotes immune activation along the gut-liver axis, revealing mechanisms by which host-microbiome interactions coordinate health and disease across tissues.