As a pioneering research model, C. elegans studies have led to several breakthroughs in modern science – from the discovery of apoptosis to the Nobel prize winning discovery of RNA-interference. The Chaudhari Lab will leverage C. elegans as an in vivo model to study gut microbial interactions with the host. The diet of C. elegans consists of bacteria, resulting in accumulation of bacterial products in the intestine, similar to that in higher eukaryotes. A study of bacterially-derived metabolites, such as amino acids, bile acids, and folates in C. elegans has the potential to allow discovery of novel functions of these metabolites, and in expanding C. elegans research to new paradigms. Refs: Developmental Cell 2016, Nature Communications 2017, Developmental Biology 2017