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We study what human-associated microbial communities (the “microbiome”) tell us about their host and how they affect its health. We aim to develop personalized microbiome-based and -guided therapeutics and diagnostics.

We do so by examining microbial species, genes, metabolites and other microbial factors at high throughput and resolution, and studying how they act in tandem, and along with other host factors, to reflect or affect health and disease.

… developing careful data analysis methods for microbiome data that are robust to the unique idiosyncrasies of this data, with an emphasis on generalizability. Our methods are particularly suitable for low-biomass microbial communities.

... devising and translating microbiome-based diagnostic and prognostic prediction algorithms with the potential to advance microbiome-informed healthcare.

We are ...

... studying genomic adaptation in the microbiome as a way to understand various selective pressures in the ecosystem, using sequence-graph-based and other high resolution bioinformatic methods and algorithms.

… aspiring to develop personally-tailored therapies that act through the microbiome (microbiome-based therapeutics) or to use the microbiome in order to personalize healthcare (microbiome-guided medicine).

... applying our methodology in diverse clinical settings, with a special focus on the reproductive system and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Recent news

New paper and method out in Science Advances!

Friday, November 28, 2025

Distributional bias compromises leave-one-out cross-validation

New preprint and method out!

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Comparative metagenomics using pan-metagenomic graphs

New preprint out!

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

A generalizable cross-continent prediction of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using the oral microbiome

Welcome Mick!

Saturday, November 1, 2025

Dr. Mick Aitken joined the lab as a postdoctoral research scientist.

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© 2018-2026 The Korem Lab @ Columbia

530 W 166th St., Alianza 3rd floor | New York, NY, 10032
tal.korem@columbia.edu

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