Craig Maynard, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, has been named scientific director of the UAB Gnotobiotic Core Facility effective May 15.

Gnotobiotics (“known life”) is the study of organisms harboring defined microbes or microbial communities, or completely devoid of microbes (germ-free or axenic). The core provides gnotobiotic animal services to UAB investigators, which include access to common models and assistance in developing new gnotobiotic models. Since its establishment in 2002 by Drs. Trenton Schoeb and Casey Weaver, the Gnotobiotic Core has facilitated the study of distinct microbiota or microbial communities in animal models of diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, and ovarian and brain cancers. The state-of-the-art facility can facilitate both short and long-term projects with varying levels of investigator involvement.

In his role as scientific director, Maynard will oversee efforts to promote and engage in team science related to the use of defined microbiota animal models for microbiome research and guide strategic planning, faculty recruitment and retention, equipment acquisition and space management to build scientific directions for the Core in the future.

“The microbiota impacts many essential biological functions and gnotobiotic animals are invaluable for exploring the role of specific microbes in health and in diseases throughout the body,” said Maynard. “Our goal is to ensure that the core is easily accessible to UAB investigators by incorporating user-friendly and innovative approaches that will seamlessly facilitate definitive pre-clinical studies related to the microbiota”.

Maynard joined the Divion of Molecular & Cellular Biology in the Department of Pathology as assistant professor in 2015 and was promoted to associate professor in 2022. Maynard’s research is focused on the crosstalk between the gut microbiota and the intestinal immune system at homeostasis and in chronic diseases including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.