Ran Blekhman is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago, where he leads a computational lab working at the interface of human genomics and microbiome research. His lab integrates large-scale genomic datasets and develops computational and deep learning approaches to characterize host-microbiome interactions, understand how they influence health, and translate findings into actionable insights for disease prevention and treatment. Before joining UChicago in 2022, Dr. Blekhman spent nine years as faculty at the University of Minnesota. He completed his postdoctoral training at Cornell University and earned his Ph.D. in Human Genetics from The University of Chicago. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Biology from Tel Aviv University.
Genomics of host-microbiome interactions in humans.
Genomics of host-microbiome interactions in humans. Nat Rev Genet. 2025 Jun 04.
PMID: 40467859
Maternal Physical Activity and its Relationship to the Human Milk Metabolome and Infant Body Composition.
Maternal Physical Activity and its Relationship to the Human Milk Metabolome and Infant Body Composition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2025 May 26.
PMID: 40417941
Microbes with higher metabolic independence are enriched in human gut microbiomes under stress.
Microbes with higher metabolic independence are enriched in human gut microbiomes under stress. Elife. 2025 May 16; 12.
PMID: 40377187
Social and environmental predictors of gut microbiome age in wild baboons.
Social and environmental predictors of gut microbiome age in wild baboons. Elife. 2025 Apr 17; 13.
PMID: 40244653
How scientists and institutions should respond.
How scientists and institutions should respond. Elife. 2025 Mar 25; 14.
PMID: 40130608
Cardiometabolic disease risk in gorillas is associated with altered gut microbial metabolism.
Cardiometabolic disease risk in gorillas is associated with altered gut microbial metabolism. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2025 Feb 21; 11(1):33.
PMID: 39984469
Integration of 168,000 samples reveals global patterns of the human gut microbiome.
Integration of 168,000 samples reveals global patterns of the human gut microbiome. Cell. 2025 Feb 20; 188(4):1100-1118.e17.
PMID: 39848248
Social and environmental predictors of gut microbiome age in wild baboons.
Social and environmental predictors of gut microbiome age in wild baboons. bioRxiv. 2024 Dec 24.
PMID: 39131274
Human milk variation is shaped by maternal genetics and impacts the infant gut microbiome.
Human milk variation is shaped by maternal genetics and impacts the infant gut microbiome. Cell Genom. 2024 Oct 09; 4(10):100638.
PMID: 39265573
Microbes with higher metabolic independence are enriched in human gut microbiomes under stress.
Microbes with higher metabolic independence are enriched in human gut microbiomes under stress. bioRxiv. 2024 Jul 26.
PMID: 37293035