Saad Syed

MD/Ph.D. Candidate

Saad joined the Surette lab during his undergraduate and worked with Fiona Whelan on examining the lung microbiome of patients with Cystic Fibrosis. His doctoral research focuses on how the gastrointestinal microbiome behaves differently in response to the additives, pesticides, and plastics that are commonplace in modern food production and, in turn, most diets. He is interested in determining if these food production compounds alter the microbiome to play a role in the onset and progression of chronic metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Outside of the lab, he enjoys reading, cooking (also eating), and hiking.