Wendy Garrett
Primary Faculty

Wendy Garrett

Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Other Positions

Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Molecular Metabolism

Molecular Metabolism

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Professor of Medicine

Medicine-Brigham and Women's Hospital

Harvard Medical School


Overview

Wendy Garrett is the Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases in the Departments of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and of Molecular Metabolism at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, and also has a Professorship in the Departments of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Garrett pursued an MD and PhD at Yale University. She completed a fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and postdoctoral training at Harvard University Medical School.

Dr. Garrett investigates host-microbiota interactions in health and disease. Her research team studies the interplay between the gastrointestinal immune system and the gut microbiota in health, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). The Garrett lab focuses on how the gut microbiota influence both innate and adaptive populations and the contribution of these cells to immune homeostasis and disease.

Dr. Garrett's team has identified specific species, pathways, and metabolites made by the microbiota that influence health and disease states. The lab also studies microbes and immune cells that are not only instrumental in potentiating carcinogenesis but are integral to intestinal homeostasis. The multi-faceted research approach includes meta'omics, microbiology, cellular immunology, biochemistry, cell biology, and cancer biology. The lab uses mouse models, human specimens, and primary and transformed mammalian cells and bacterial cells in their experiments in order to move facilely between large human data sets and in vivo and in vitro model systems with a core mission of determining basic biologic mechanism and applying the findings to precision medicine.

The Garrett lab is highly collaborative and works with many laboratories at institutions in the greater Boston area, in Harvard-affiliated hospitals and institutes, and at national and international research centers.

B.S./ M.S., , Combined Bachelor of Science & Master of Science
Yale University

Ph.D.
Yale University

M.D.
Yale University School of Medicine

Medical Oncology Fellowship
Dana-Farber Partners Cancer Care, Laboratory of Laurie H. Glimcher


Bibliography

Randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of the effect of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on colorectal cancer recurrence and survival after surgery for resectable liver metastases: EPA for Metastasis Trial 2 (EMT2) study protocol.

Hull MA, Ow PL, Ruddock S, Brend T, Smith AF, Marshall H, Song M, Chan AT, Garrett WS, Yilmaz O, Drew DA, Collinson F, Cockbain AJ, Jones R, Loadman PM, Hall PS, Moriarty C, Cairns DA, Toogood GJ.

BMJ Open. 2023 11 29. 13(11):e077427. PMID: 38030258


News

Symposium explores microbiome’s roles in cancer

At the 6th annual symposium of the Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center, experts from around the world discussed the many ways that the microbiome contributes to the development and treatment of cancer.

The future of cancer prevention (part 2)

In this episode, we speak to a scientist who is examining how our microbiome—the collection of trillions of microbes in and on our bodies—can affect the development of colon cancer.