Lab Introduction

The Laboratory of Nutritional Microbiomics & Next-Generation Probiotics (WKW Lab), led by Dr. Wei-Kai Wu, focuses on the interactions among the gut microbiome, nutrition, and health. The lab is dedicated to advancing precision nutrition and microbiome-driven clinical applications. Centering on dietary intake as the foundation of research, the team investigates how gut microbes transform nutrients into diverse metabolites that influence human health and disease development. Key research areas include identifying critical gut microbes and microbial genes, developing diagnostic tools to predict microbial metabolic potential, and designing next-generation probiotics—such as Akkermansia muciniphila—for the regulation of non-communicable chronic diseases, including cardiometabolic diseases and cancers. In addition, the team applies multi-omics analyses, gnotobiotic animal models, and anaerobic culturomics to drive innovative, cross-disciplinary research and accelerate the clinical translation of microbiome science. The WKW Lab welcomes passionate students and researchers interested in gut microbiota, personalized nutrition, and medical biotechnology to join us in advancing breakthroughs and innovations in microbiome science for health and medicine.