Juyeong Cho

    PhD Student in the Chaudhari Research Group

    Effect of Gut Bacterial Metabolites on Intestinal Health

    Juyeong has a B.S. and an M.S. in Nutritional Sciences from Ewha Womans University. In her free time, she loves staying active through running and playing squash, enjoys singing and baking, and has a passion for exploring new places through travel.

    Methotrexate (MTX) is a common drug used to treat cancer and inflammation, but it often causes harmful side effects in the gut. Certain gut bacteria can detoxify this drug by breaking it down into a small molecule called DAMPA. Until recently, DAMPA was thought to be inert, but my research has shown that it actively protects the gut from damage and reduces inflammation. This study challenges the traditional view of bacterial MTX metabolites as inactive molecules. Overall, this work proposes to advance our understanding of host–microbe interactions by revealing how microbially derived drug metabolites influence host inflammation.

    Click here to see graphical abstract

    Korean Honor Scholarship (2025)

    Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) 2025-26 Ruth Dickie Research Scholarship

    First Prize for Best Poster Presentation at the Nutrition and Metabolism Poster Session (2025)