Amir Zarrinpar, MD, PhD, DABOM, AGAF, is the Stuart and Barbara Brody Chair in Circadian Biology and professor of Gastroenterology at UC San Diego, where he directs the Center for Circadian Biology and co-directs the Center for Microbiome Innovation. He is a physician-scientist and board-certified gastroenterologist whose work sits at the intersection of circadian biology, gut physiology, metabolism, and the gut microbiome. 

 

Amir earned his AB in psychology and biology from Harvard University and his MD/PhD from UC San Diego. His research focuses on understanding how microbial functions influence human health and disease, including obesity, diabetes, steatohepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, aging, and rare genetic disorders. His laboratory has demonstrated that genetically engineered native gut bacteria can be used to functionally manipulate the gut microbiome and treat chronic disease, creating a platform to better understand and therapeutically target the microbe-host interface. 

 

Amir’s work has been supported by the NIH, including NIBIB, NCI, NHLBI, NIDDK, and NIAID, as well as by the American Federation for Aging Research, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, and the National Phenylketonuria Alliance. His research impact has been recognized by election to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Litwin IBD Pioneers Award, the American Gastroenterological Association Microbiome Junior Investigator Award, and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Liver Scholar Award.