Z. Esra Ilhan is a research scientist (CRCN) since 2023 specializing in intricate interactions between the human microbiome, exposome, and subsequently the outcomes of these interactions on human intestinal and reproductive health. She obtained her Ph.D. degree from Arizona State University in Microbiology in 2016. Her Ph.D. studies focused on obesity and the role of gut microorganisms in human energy balance after bariatric surgery. After graduation, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, USA and within the PhylHom team at the Micalis Institute, INRAE, France. During her postdoctoral training, she investigated the adverse and commensal roles of microorganisms on female reproductive tract health and the interactions between xenobiotics and the gut microbiome that can be targeted for precision medicine approaches. She has expertise in genetic and metabolic characterization of the human microbiota, host-microbe interactions using 3-D cellular models, multi-omics, and anaerobic bacteriology.
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