At WashU Medicine: 1981-present
The Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor
Widely regarded as the father of gut microbiome science, Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, has spent his career illuminating the microscopic world inside us — and transforming our understanding of human health. His groundbreaking discoveries have reshaped how scientists and clinicians think about growth, nutrition, immunity and disease.
Gordon’s journey began with a simple question during medical school: How do gut cells know where they are and what to do? That spark led him to pioneer a field that was once overlooked, revealing the essential role of gut microbes.
Focusing on childhood malnutrition — a condition affecting over 150 million children worldwide — Gordon and his lab discovered that healthy growth depends not only on food, but also on the development of the gut microbiome. His team’s microbiome-targeted therapeutic foods are now being tested in large-scale clinical trials across South Asia and Africa, funded by the Gates Foundation and carried out in collaboration with the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
“Far too many children are dying of malnutrition,” Gordon says. “Those who survive face devastating lifelong consequences. Our hope drives our work to develop and deliver a cure.”
Gordon’s influence extends beyond discovery. He has mentored 150 PhD and MD/PhD students and postdocs, many of whom have become leaders in microbiome science. His lab is known for cultivating not only scientific excellence but a rare spirit of collaboration and purpose — amplifying his reach across generations.
Gordon’s work stands as a powerful example of how courageous, boundary-breaking science can transform health outcomes on a global scale.
Published in the Autumn 2025 issue