Rochellys Diaz Heijtz

Associate Professor and Group Leader in the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet

Dr. Rochellys Diaz Heijtz is an Associate Professor and Group Leader in the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet. Her research studies have a long-term goal of understanding the biological basis of neurodevelopmental disorders (ASD, ADHD), and how genes and the environment (prenatal and/or early postnatal) together influence typical and atypical brain development and behavior.

Her current research program includes basic studies investigating the influence of gut-derived microbial molecules, such as “bacterial peptidoglycan fragments” and their sensing molecules, on brain development and behavior, and clinical studies investigating the potential role of the gut microbiota in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

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Title: Gut Microbes and the Developing Brain

  • Microbiota influence brain development and behavior
  • Commensal bacteria-derived products can be translocated into the brain under normal conditions and influence the developing brain
  • Discussing novel roles of bacterial peptidoglycan sensing molecules on brain development and behavior