By Tina Meketa, University Communications and Marketing
When his mother was diagnosed with diabetes, Hariom Yadav wanted to find better ways to manage the disease beyond traditional medication.
“We had no clue how to really control her diabetes,” said Yadav, professor in the USF Health Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine and director and USF Center for Microbiome Research. “It made me wonder if there are other ways people like my mom can manage their health naturally.”
Man Singh Yadav, father of USF Health Professor Hariom Yadav
Sheela Yadav, mother of USF Health Professor Hariom Yadav
Yadav grew up on a dairy farm in India where his dad owned 250 cows. It was there that he first discovered the power of fermentation – how milk transformed into yogurt, a probiotic-rich food filled with “good” bacteria that support gut health. That early curiosity sparked what would become a pioneering career in microbiome science.
Hariom Yadav [Photo by Freddie Coleman, USF Health]
Supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation, Yadav’s research focuses on how improving gut health can help the body better absorb nutrients from food. In addition to diabetes, his internationally recognized team is exploring how disturbances in the microbiome might increase the risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, cancer and unhealthy aging.
The gut and brain are in constant communication through the vagus nerve and the bloodstream – which is why the gut is often called the “second brain.” Yadav’s research explores how this gut-brain axis impacts cognition, memory and mood.
“Our research shows that food can be a medicine if it’s taken regularly, in the right amount and in the right form,” he explained.
Yadav’s team is adding health-boosting ingredients, such as probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics directly into everyday foods. Instead of taking these supplements as pills, people could get them naturally through foods they already enjoy, like yogurt drinks, gummies or even chocolate.
Synbiotics yogurt [combination of probiotics and prebiotics] developed at USF Health [Photo by Allison Long, USF Health]
These active ingredients help balance the beneficial bacteria in the digestive system and improve the body’s ability to absorb more nutrients. By integrating them into daily diets, Yadav hopes to make disease prevention and management simpler and more accessible – reducing dependence on medications and improving quality of life.
Recent USF Health studies led by Yadav found that older adults with dementia have significantly different microbiome profiles than those without cognitive decline. In another study, his team developed a probiotic cocktail that reduced brain inflammation and lowered harmful proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease – a promising, low-cost approach that could complement or even outperform traditional drug therapies.
“Fermented foods are partially broken down by microbes, so they’re easier to digest and absorb,” Yadav said. “They can act like a natural elixir for your body.”
The team is also leveraging AI-powered tools to analyze microbiome data and design personalized nutrition and treatment strategies. Because every person’s microbiome is unique, Yadav believes that with individualized dietary and therapeutic approaches, the future is bright.