Possible Rotation Projects:
- Epigenetic regulation of development by microbiota
- Microbiota and hypothalamic regulation of homeostatic and reproductive function
- Microbial metabolites as epigenetic modifiers of immune response
Training Technologies Used:
Next generation sequencing (16S rRNA marker gene sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, single-cell RNAseq, whole-tissue bulk RNAseq, ATACseq, ChIPseq); high-throughput targeted and untargeted metabolomics, in vivo animal models, flow cytometry and cell sorting, immunohistochemistry, western blot, transgenics, cell line cultural systems.
- B.A., Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri-2010
- B.A., Anthropology, University of Missouri-2010
- Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of Missouri-2014
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Neuroscience, University of Maryland
Munyoki SK, Goff JP, Reshke A, Wilderoter E, Mafarachisi N, Kolobaric A, Sheng Y, Mullett SJ, King GE, DeSchepper JD, Bookser RJ, Castro CA, Gelhaus SL, Grizotte-Lake M, Morrison KE, Zeleznik AJ, Hand TW, Brieño-Enriquez MA, Jašarević E. The microbiota extends the reproductive lifespan of mice by safeguarding the ovarian reserve. Cell Host & Microbe. 2025 Oct 8;33(10):1731-1747.e8.PMID: 41005310.
Munyoki SK, Vukmer N, Rios JM, Kallen A, Jašarević E. From gut to gamete: how the microbiome influences fertility and preconception health. Microbiome. 2025 Sep 26;13(1):195. PMID: 41013846.
Megli CJ, DePuyt AE, Goff JP, Munyoki SK, Hooven TA, Jašarević E. Diet influences community dynamics following vaginal group B streptococcus colonization. Microbiol Spectr. 2024 Jun 4;12(6):e0362323. PMID: 38722155.
Kolobaric A, Andreescu C, Jašarević E, Hong CH, Roh HW, Cheong JY, Kim YK, Shin TS, Kang CS, Kwon CO, Yoon SY, Hong SW, Aizenstein HJ, Karim HT, Son SJ. Gut microbiome predicts cognitive function and depressive symptoms in late life. Molecular Psychiatry. 2024 Oct;29(10):3064-3075. PMID: 38664490.
Son SJ, Lee DY, Roh HW, Ly M, Kolobaric A, Aizenstein H, Andreescu C, Jašarević E, Pascoal TA, Ferreira PCL, Bellaver B, Cho YH, Hong S, Nam YJ, Park B, Kim N, Choi JW, Cheong JY, Kim YK, Shin TS, Kang CS, Kwon CO, Yoon SY, Hong CH, Karim HT. Brain age mediates gut microbiome dysbiosis-related cognition in older adults. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy. 2025 Feb 27;17(1):52. PMID: 40016766.
Munyoki SM, Goff JP, Mullett SJ, Burns JK, Jenkins AK, DePoy L, Gelhaus Wendell SL, McClung CA, Morrison KE, Jašarević E. Intestinal microbial circadian rhythms drive sex differences in host immunity and metabolism. iScience. 2023 Sep 22;26(10):107999. PMID: 37841582.
Jašarević E, Hill EM, Kane PJ, Rutt L, Gyles T, Folts L, Rock KD, Howard CD, Morrison KE, Ravel J, & Bale TL. The composition of the human vaginal microbiota transferred at birth affects offspring health in a mouse model. Nature Communications. 2021. 12(1) 1-16. PMID: 34725359.
Jašarević E, Howard CD, Morrison KE, Misic AM, Beiting DP, Weinkopff T, Scott P, Hunter CA, Beiting DP, Bale TL. The maternal vaginal microbiome partially mediates the effects of prenatal stress on offspring gut and hypothalamus. Nature Neuroscience, 2018 Aug;21(8):1061-1071. PMID: 29988069.
Jašarević E, Howard CD, Misic AM, Beiting DP, Bale TL. Stress during pregnancy alters temporal and spatial dynamics of the maternal and offspring microbiome in a sex-specific manner. Scientific Reports. 2017 Mar 7;7:44182. PMID: 28266645.
Jašarević E, Morrison KE, Bale TL. Sex Differences in the Gut Microbiome–Brain Axis across the Lifespan. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 2016 Feb 19; 371(1688): 20150122. PMID: 26833840
Jašarević E, Howerton CH, Howard CD, Bale TL. Alterations in the vaginal microbiome by maternal stress are associated with metabolic reprogramming of the offspring gut and brain. Endocrinology. 2015 Sep;156(9):3265-76. PMID: 26079804.
Our research program applies the principles of evolutionary biology to unravel the complex interplay between the gut microbiome, its metabolites, and host biology, with a particular focus on how these interactions influence development and disease. We are especially interested in the role of microbial metabolites as epigenetic modifiers that regulate key developmental and immune processes. By studying these interactions at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels, we aim to uncover the fundamental mechanisms by which microbiota influence host physiology.
One of our current areas of investigation is the impact of microbial-derived metabolites, such as butyrate, on the neural circuits that regulate reproductive tissues. Our research has shown that the absence of microbiota during critical developmental windows can lead to a dramatic decline in reproductive capacity, driven by altered interactions between microbial metabolites and epigenetic modifiers that disrupt transcriptional and metabolic pathways. We are exploring these mechanisms to identify potential therapeutic targets for enhancing reproductive health and combating the exponential global increase in infertility.
Additionally, we are investigating the epigenetic regulation of immune responses by microbial metabolites. This includes our interest in how microbial metabolites regulate transcriptional control involved in development via histone post-translational modifications (PTMs). Using advanced technologies such as next-generation sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing, and chromatin immunoprecipitation, we are dissecting the molecular underpinnings of microbiome-immune interactions. Furthermore, we are exploring how microbial circadian rhythms influence sex differences in host biology, examining the temporal dynamics of microbiota-host interactions and their impact on sex-specific traits and health outcomes. By integrating chronobiology with microbiome research, we aim to reveal new avenues for personalized medicine and gender-specific therapeutic interventions.
