Laboratory of Host Immunity and Microbiome (LHIM)

Hourigan Research Group

Our diverse, talented research group support the vision and clinical and translational studies of the lab.

Suchitra Hourigan, M.D.

Chief, Clinical Microbiome Unit (CMU)
Lasker Clinical Research Scholar

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Specialty(s): Pediatric Gastroenterology, Pediatrics
Provides direct clinical care to patients at NIH Clinical Center

Education:

M.D., University of Oxford, UK

Dr. Suchitra (Suchi) Hourigan was born in the UK and received her medical degree from the University of Oxford. She is a board-certified physician in pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology, having completed her pediatric residency and pediatric gastroenterology fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Prior to coming to NIH, Dr. Hourigan held faculty positions at the...

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Suchitra Hourigan, M.D.

Mickayla Elle Bacorn, B.A., B.S. (She/Her/Hers)

IRTA Trainee

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Education:

B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

B.A., Modern Language and Linguistics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Languages Spoken: Spanish

During her time at UMBC, Mickayla Bacorn was an NIH U-RISE trainee researching nutrient specificity in bacteria. She also completed a bioinformatic analysis of the active site evolution in coronaviruses. Currently, she is investigating microbiome-host responses in children with COVID-19 and the predictors of long-term health outcomes. Bacorn plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. graduate program and...

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Qing Chen, Ph.D.

Lab Manager

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Education:

Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Sciences

Languages Spoken: Chinese

Qing received her B.S. in biology from Shandong University and her Ph.D. in cell biology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she studied the interaction between mesenchymal stem cells and the immune system. She then completed postdoc training at NIEHS, investigating the role of poly(A)-tail length regulation in gene expression and cell fate in ESCs and germline stem cells. Her current...

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Phoebe Olivia LaPoint, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)

Postbaccalaureate IRTA Trainee

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Education:

B.S., Biology, Elon University

Phoebe received her B.S. in biology with a minor in chemistry and business administration from Elon University. She first became interested in the gut microbiome during undergraduate research, where she studied the effects of changes of the gut microbiome on anxiety behaviors in male and female zebrafish. Currently, she is investigating gut microbial interactions in chronic inflammatory diseases...

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Shira Levy, M.A., CCRP (She/Her/Hers)

Program Manager

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Education:

M.A., George Mason University
B.S., Columbia University
B.A., Jewish Theological Seminary

Shira Levy earned her master’s degree from George Mason University in neuroimaging, in addition to holding a BS degree in neuroscience and behavior from Columbia University and a B.A. in midrash from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Shira has worked in clinical research for over 10 years and currently manages clinical research trials in the Clinical Microbiome Unit. Her research interests include...

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Ranjani Namasivayam, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)

Research Fellow

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Education:

Ph.D., University of Georgia

Ranjani received her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia where she studied the evolution of apicomplexan parasites using next-generation sequencing and molecular biology techniques. She then did her postdoctoral training in the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases at NIAID investigating the role of the microbiota in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2 infections. Her work at the Clinical...

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Brynn Donnelly O’Laughlin, M.D. (She/Her/Hers)

Clinical Fellow in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition

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Education:

Clinical Fellow in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, 2024, Children's National Hospital
Chief Resident, 2021, Medical University of South Carolina
Pediatrics Residency, 2020, Medical University of South Carolina
M.D., Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, 2017, Florida International University
B.S., Biology, 2013, University of Florida

Dr. Brynn O’Laughlin is a board-certified pediatrician and current fellow in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at Children’s National Hospital. She is specifically interested in inflammatory bowel disease. She is studying the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on intestinal inflammation in patients with colitis associated with Chronic Granulomatous Disease.

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Anal Patel, M.D. (She/Her/Hers)

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Education:

M.D., American International Medical University

B.S., Manipal University

Languages Spoken: Gujarati, Hindi

Anal Patel received her B.Sc. in health science from Manipal University followed by her medical degree from American International Medical University.

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Anal Patel, M.D.

Emily Robbins, D.O. (She/Her/Hers)

Allergy and Immunology Fellow

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Education:

Pediatrics Residency, Zucker School of Medicine, Northwell Health

D.O., A.T. Still University

B.A., Colby College

Dr. Emily Robbins was born in Chicago and received her medical degree from A.T. Still University. She is a board-certified pediatrician, having completed her pediatric residency at the Zucker School of Medicine, Northwell Health in New York. Her long-term research goal includes understanding the relationship between the neonatal microbiome and its relationship with the later development of atopic...

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Hector Romero Soto, B.S. (He/Him/His)

Postbaccalaureate Trainee

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Education:

B.S., Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey

Languages Spoken: Spanish

Hector Romero Soto received his B.S. in biology from the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey and just started his postbaccalaureate training at NIH. His research interests include the study of the microbiome and its interactions with the immune system to modulate the host’s health. After his training at NIH, he would like to attend medical school to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. degree.

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Rachel Elizabeth Strength, M.D. (She/Her/Hers)

Clinical Fellow in Medicine and Pediatric Infectious Diseases

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Education:

NIH Fellowship in Medicine and Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency, University of Tennessee

M.D., Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport

B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis

Dr. Strength is a board-certified internal medicine physician, board-eligible pediatrician, and clinical fellow in adult and pediatric infectious diseases at NIH and Children’s National Hospital. Her research interests include the long-term effects of infections in pregnant women and their children. She is studying how the microbiome changes through different stages of pregnancy and how infections...

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Rachel Elizabeth Strength, M.D.

Ashleigh D. Sutton, M.S. (She/Her/Hers)

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Education:

M.Sc., Georgetown University, Washington, DC

B.Sc., Towson University, Towson, MD

Languages Spoken: Spanish

Ashleigh Sutton received her B.Sc. in biology from Towson University, followed by her M.Sc. in physiology from Georgetown University. Her research interest is in the development of the microbiome in neonates and how this development will influence disease states. Ultimately, she plans to attend medical school as she aspires to become a pediatric cardiologist.

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Former Research Group Members

  • Cynthia Omoge Akagbosu, M.D., M.A.
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