Prof. Gerard Clarke, Ph.D., is a Professor of Neurobehavioral Science in
the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Science and a Principal
Investigator in APC Microbiome Ireland at University College Cork. His
research program includes a focus on translational biomarkers of stress-related
neuropsychiatric disorders, the impact of the gut microbiome on
brain and behavior across the life span, and microbial regulation of tryptophan
metabolism. Key achievements of his lab in the generation of
knowledge around the microbiota - gut - brain axis include the demonstration
that the gut microbiome regulates the hippocampal serotonergic
system in a sex-dependent manner, findings that paved the way for
numerous lines of inquiry on the effects of the gut microbiome on neurodevelopment,
brain function, and behavior. He is regularly included in
Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers list, placing him among the
world's top one percent of researchers by citation. His current approach is
based on advancing frontier knowledge in microbiome research to yield
potential new therapeutic targets for the effective treatment of the central
nervous system and gastrointestinal disorders.