Research in the Dhariwala lab focuses on the mechanisms by which commensal microbes (microbiome) establish symbiosis with the host during the early-life window. We are particularly interested in dissecting how the crosstalk between commensal microbes and myeloid cells in neonatal barrier tissues shapes long-term health. Myeloid cells are the earliest immune populations to seed tissues, and despite being the primary sentinels interacting with commensal microbes, little is known about how myeloid cells help establish tissue homeostasis. We are fundamentally interested in these questions because the origin of several chronic inflammatory conditions can be traced back to immune-microbiome dysregulations in the early life window. With core expertise in human and murine tissue immunology, microbiome sciences, and novel translational tools, the Dhariwala lab aims to translate their fundamental research findings into next-generation therapeutic interventions for chronic inflammatory disease.