In this episode join Dr. Riveros in the conversation with Dr. Dawn Bowdish, Associate Professor at McMaster and a Canada Research Chair in Aging & Immunity. They discuss the role of the gut microbiome and inflammation in health and disease, as well as the implications for how we age healthily. Dr. Bowdish started her lab at McMaster in 2009 where her team of post-doctoral fellows, undergraduate and graduate students study the process of macrophage phagocytosis, how macrophages influence the composition of the microbiome of the upper respiratory tract and how they recognize and destroy Streptococcus pneumoniae, the major cause of pneumonia in the elderly. She has won a number of early career awards including the Pfizer-ASPIRE award and the G. Jeannette Thorbecke Award from the Society of Leukocyte Biology. Her lab is funded by the CIHR, NSERC, the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative and the Lung Association.

This episode was based in the following articles: References: -Thevaranjan N, Puchta A, Schulz C, Naidoo A, Szamosi JC, Verschoor CP, Loukov D, Schenck LP, Jury J, Foley KP, Schertzer JD, Larché MJ, Davidson DJ, Verdú EF, Surette MG, Bowdish DME. Age-Associated Microbial Dysbiosis Promotes Intestinal Permeability, Systemic Inflammation, and Macrophage Dysfunction. Cell Host Microbe. 2017 Apr 12;21(4):455-466.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2017.03.002. Erratum in: Cell Host Microbe. 2018 Apr 11;23 (4):570. PMID: 28407483; PMCID: PMC5392495.

-DeJong EN, Surette MG, Bowdish DME. The Gut Microbiota and Unhealthy Aging: Disentangling Cause from Consequence. Cell Host Microbe. 2020 Aug 12;28(2):180-189. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.07.013. PMID: 32791111.

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Disclosure: The content of this podcast is purely academic in nature and is intended for educational and informational purposes only. The material discussed does not represent or reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the Medical College of Georgia, and the information presented should not be construed as medical advice or guidance. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any medical concerns or questions. I'd like to explicitly state that I have no endorsement from, affiliations with, or financial interests in any pharmaceutical companies or medical device manufacturers. Any mention of medications, devices, or treatments is made solely within the context of literature and academic discussion.