We’re thrilled to share that Dr. Lola Holcomb, who recently completed her PhD in Biomedical Science at the University of Maine, will be joining Dr. Eben Estell’s lab at the University of New England as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow! Dr. Estell is a new faculty member starting up a lab developing tissue engineered models for bone mechanobiology, and this position will focus on data analysis and conceptual models on how cells interact with mechanical structures, to create better medical treatments.

During her doctoral work in the Ishaq Lab, Lola investigated how diet and gut microbiota interact to influence host health, with a particular focus on glucosinolate-metabolizing bacteria and the effects of broccoli sprout consumption. Her research combined bioinformatics, metagenomic data analysis, and microbial ecology, resulting in new insights into how diet-driven changes in microbial function relate to host physiology.

In her postdoctoral position, Lola will be bridging her bioinformatics expertise with her original background in exercise physiology to explore how mechanical loading, irisin, and bone cell biology are interconnected. This new role beautifully integrates her computational skills with her passion for physiology and health — a truly interdisciplinary continuation of her scientific journey.

One of Lola’s favorite memories from her time in the lab was traveling together to the ISME conference in Cape Town, where she presented her work to an international audience of microbial ecology researchers. It was a fantastic milestone that captured her growth as both a scientist and communicator.

We can’t wait to see where Lola’s research takes her next! Luckily, Lola will still be collaborating a bit with the Ishaq Lab to finish out several projects from her doctoral work. This includes genomic comparisons of bacteria which can convert glucoraphanin into sulforaphane, metagenomics of the gut bacteria of people consuming broccoli sprouts every day for a month, and several collaborations on human microbiome research.

Co-written by Lola Holcomb and Sue Ishaq.