The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston · BiologyAutoimmunity and Microbiome Research Unit
M. Firoze Khan · Galveston, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. M. Firoze Khan's lab focuses on understanding how exposure to a chemical called trichloroethene (TCE), which is found in many environments, can lead to autoimmune diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The lab studies how changes in the gut microbiome, the diverse community of microorganisms in our intestines, might play a role in this process. By investigating the relationship between TCE exposure and gut health, the lab aims to uncover new insights into disease mechanisms and potential treatments.
gut microbiometrichloroetheneautoimmunitysystemic lupus erythematosusmicrobiome dysbiosisprobioticsshort-chain fatty acidsimmune responseintestinal integrityfecal microbiome transplant
Research Aims
3AIM 01Establish that TCE exposure causes SLE through gut microbiome dysbiosis.
AIM 02Determine the effects of TCE-microbiome-host interactions on intestinal integrity and mucosal immunity.
AIM 03Investigate if imbalances in short-chain fatty acids contribute to SLE and explore probiotic therapies.
Skills the Lab Values
16S rRNA sequencingmicrobiome analysisfecal microbiome transplantin vivo gut permeability assessmentcell culturemetagenomic sequencingimmunological assaysprotein analysismolecular biology techniquesprobiotic supplementation
Output against the department
Publications111bottom 39% of dept.632nd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations2.7kbottom 20% of dept.829th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.