Angelica Ahrens
Assistant Research Scientist
- Teaching Interests
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Education
- B.S. (2012) Biology, Duke University, Durham
- M.B.A. (2016) Data analytics and business intelligence, Nova SE University
- M.S. (2018) Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
- Ph.D. (2022) Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
- Postdoctoral (2023-2024) Microbiology and Cell Science UF
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Description of Research
Dr. Ahrens studies the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), focusing on microbial, genetic and molecular factors that shape human development. Her research spans a range of conditions, including obesity, neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism, ADHD), neurological conditions (e.g., pharmacoresistant depression, headache), and autoimmune and metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes, celiac disease, irritable bowel disease, hypothyroidism). She also explores the impact of environmental toxins, with a growing interest in the OneHealth framework, which links human, animal and environmental health, and integrates large, multi-omic datasets to uncover biomarkers of disease risk.
Dr. Ahrens is an active investigator in the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) and The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY), leading studies on the microbiome’s role in early-life development and disease risk. In ABIS, she has identified microbiome signatures preceding autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, speech disorders, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes and childhood obesity. Her recent work, published in Cell, demonstrates that biochemical and microbial dysbiosis precedes autism onset, challenging existing paradigms and calling for a new approach to understanding neurodevelopmental disorders.
Dr. Ahrens is particularly interested in developing predictive tools for early screening and prevention, with the goal to bridge the gap between fundamental research, clinical application and public health education.
- Publications
