Current Primary Positions
- Professor of Pediatrics, UC San Diego School of Medicine
- Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- Associate Vice Chancellor for Marine Science, UC San Diego
- Director, Microbiome and Metagenomics Center, UC San Diego
Scientific Advisor
Jack A. Gilbert
Professor of Pediatrics, UC San Diego · Director, Microbiome and Metagenomics Center
Jack Gilbert is one of the world's most cited microbiome scientists. As Professor of Pediatrics at UC San Diego and Director of the Microbiome and Metagenomics Center, he pioneered the global mapping of microbial communities — from oceans to the human gut — through landmark efforts including the Earth Microbiome Project and the American Gut Project.
450+
Peer-reviewed publications
$175M
NIH Precision Nutrition Project (PI, UCSD)
2
Landmark global microbiome projects co-founded
2025
Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology
Credentials, research, and the work behind the science.
Academic Titles & Honors
- Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (2025)
- President of Applied Microbiology International (2023)
- IFF Microbiome Science Prize (2023)
- Founding Editor-in-Chief of mSystems (ASM journal)
Main Research Directions
- Microbial ecology across humans, oceans, and built environments
- Molecular-scale analysis of microbial communities
- Applications of the microbiome in precision medicine and nutrition
Previous Important Roles
- Group Leader, Microbial Ecology, Argonne National Laboratory (2010–2018)
- Professor of Surgery, University of Chicago
- Senior Scientist, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (2005–2010)
Major Research Projects & Influence
- Co-founder, Earth Microbiome Project — global mapping of microbial communities
- Co-founder, American Gut Project — the largest crowd-sourced microbiome study
- Principal Investigator (UCSD side), NIH $175M Precision Nutrition Project
- 450+ peer-reviewed publications
Notable Books
- Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child's Developing Immune System (co-author) — popular-science guide to early-life microbial exposure
Backed by Science · Reviewed by Jack
Science you can taste in the bottle.
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