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John F. Rawls

James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
323A CARL Building, Box 3580, Durham, NC 27710
323A CARL Building Box 3580, 213 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710

Selected Grants


Tri-Institutional Molecular Mycology and Pathogenesis Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029

Microbial regulation of intestinal epithelial gene expression

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2028

Bacteria sensory transduction from gut to brain to modulate behavior

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2028

Identifying genes required for digestive physiology and lipid metabolism

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Johns Hopkins University · 2013 - 2028

Mechanisms of Enteroendocrine Cell Adaptation to High Fat Diet in Zebrafish

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2027

NSF Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr)

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2022 - 2027

Duke Preparing Research Scholars in Biomedical Sciences- Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

Medical Scientist Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

Duke Training Grant in Digestive Diseases and Nutrition

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1988 - 2027

Training Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2001 - 2027

Microbial competition determines requirement for a putative lipid transport operon in the human gut bacterium Phocaeicola vulgatus

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2027

Genetic determinants of Bacteroides vulgatus colonization fitness and host inflammatory responses

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2027

Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2026

Summer Scholars in Genome Sciences & Medicine

Inst. Training Prgm or CMESignificant Contributor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2026

Role of Nutrition on Gut Microbes and Translocation after Trauma Laparotomy

ResearchCo-Mentor · Awarded by International Anesthesia Research Society · 2024 - 2026

Gut-brain dysfunction following combined prenatal stressors: relevance for autism

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2021 - 2026

Microbial regulation of intestinal lipid metabolism and its physiological consequences

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2025

Research Training in Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2000 - 2025

Regulation of metabolic diseases by Clostridium immunis

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2025

Microbial regulation of intestinal epithelial gene transcription

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2023 - 2025

Genetic and Genomics Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2025

The Microbiome and Metabolism in Postnatal Growth Failure

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2024

Deciphering host-microbiota regulation of apical and basolateral absorption of lipid in enterocytes

ResearchMentor · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2024 - 2024

Duke CTSA (TL1) Year 5

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2024

Identifying Microbial, Epithelial and Immune Cell Interactions that Mediate Mucosal Homeostasis and Determine IBD Phenotypes

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2013 - 2024

Cellular and Environmental Regulation of Protein Absorption and Utilization in the Early Intestine

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2023

Quantifying Enteric Metabolism of Branched-chain Amino Acids in Relation to Other Dietary and Microbiota Nutrients

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2022 - 2023

Exploring microbial regulation of transcription factors and its effects on intestinal homeostasis

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Howard Hughes Medical Institute · 2020 - 2023

Microbial and dietary control of intestinal epithelial differentiation by HNF4A

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2023

Nasopharyngeal Microbiome and Risk of Bacterial Pathogen Colonization in Infants

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2023

The role of HNF4a in maintaining intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis in the presence of microbes

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2023

New Tools for Advancing Model Systems in Aquatic Symbiosis

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Oregon · 2020 - 2023

Influence of prenatal exposure to air pollution and maternal stress on microglial sculpting of neural circuits

ResearchCo-Mentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2023

Home Transplant to Preserve the Microbiota and Decrease GVHD

ResearchMentor · Awarded by American Society of Hematology · 2019 - 2022

Gastrointestinal distress in ASD: testing the role of enteroendocrine cells

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Miami · 2020 - 2022

Fredrickson Lipid conference/NCDRC Diabetes Day

ConferencePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina Biotechnology Center · 2022 - 2022

Immune Compromised Zebrafish for Cell Transplantation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Massachusetts General Hospital · 2013 - 2022

Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Intestinal Inflammation

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2022

Enteroendocrine cells sense gut bacteria and activate a gut-brain pathway

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2021

A Novel Integrative Pathway Regulating Intestinal Glucose Sensing

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Pew Scholars Program · 2018 - 2021

NRT: Integrative Bioinformatics for Investigating and Engineering Microbiomes (IBIEM)

Inst. Training Prgm or CMECo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2015 - 2021

Mechanisms of Environmental-Mixture Induced Metabolic Disruption

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2020

Genetics Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1979 - 2020

Organization and Function of Cellular Structure

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1975 - 2020

Microbial regulation of host nutrient metabolism

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2013 - 2020

Regulation of Luminal Protein Uptake and Trafficking By Lysosome-Rich Enterocytes

FellowshipCo-Sponsor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2020

Deconstructing how the microbiota influences the mucosal innate immune system

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2014 - 2019

Core A: Animal Models Core 2. Duke University Zebrafish Facility

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2016 - 2019

Microbial and inflammatory regulation of intestinal epithelial gene transcription

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2016 - 2019

Triangle Zebrafish Group Annual Retreat

ConferencePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina Biotechnology Center · 2018 - 2019

Organotin influences on assembly and obesogenic activity of the gut microbiota

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2014 - 2017

Lightsheet Imaging System

EquipmentMajor User · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2016 - 2017

Role of Developmental Signaling Pathways in Tuberculosis Pathogenesis

FellowshipCollaborating Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2017

Microbial Regulation of Nuclear Receptor Activity in the Intestinal Epithelium

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Baylor College of Medicine · 2014 - 2016

Microbial Ecology of the Zebrafish Intestine

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Oregon · 2013 - 2015

External Relationships


  • Netherlands Metabolomics Centre
  • University of Oregon
  • University of South Carolina

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.