Novel biomarkers of nutrition-related diseases

Which key modifiable host factors (metabolites, gut microbes, nutritional status indicators) are linked with nutrition-related diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes and infectious diseases? Could these represent earlier prognostic indicators of disease onset and risk for specific clinical subphenotypes? Figure modified from DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185640.

Selected Publications:

1. Yu EA, Hu PJ, Mehta S. 2018. Plasma fatty acids in de novo lipogenesis pathway are associated with diabetogenic indicators among adults: NHANES 2003-2004. Am J Clin Nutr, 2018. 108: 622-632. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy165.
2. Huey SH,* Yu EA,*  Finkelstein JL, Glesby MJ, Bonam W, Russell DG, Mehta S. Gut microbiota and micronutrient status differ by inflammation among outpatients with active tuberculosis disease in India. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2021. 105(6):1645-1656. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0310.
3. Yu EA, John SH, Tablante EC, King CA, Kenneth J, Russell DG, Mehta S. Host transcriptional responses following ex vivo re-challenge with Mycobacterium tuberculosis vary with disease status. PLoS One, 2017. 12(10): e0185640. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185640.
4. Wood MR,* Yu EA,* Mehta S. The Human Microbiome in the Fight Against Tuberculosis. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2017. 96(6): 1274-1284. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0581.
5. Locks LM, Parekh A, Newell K, Dauphinais MR, Cintron C, Maloomian K, Yu EA, Finkelstein JL, Mehta S, Sinha P. The ABCDs of Nutritional Assessment in Infectious Diseases Research. J Infect Dis, 2025. 231(3): 562–572. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae540

* Authors contributed equally