Byndloss, who joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2018, studies the links between the gut microbiota (the microorganisms that reside in the intestines), host metabolism and disease.

Researchers used whole-metagenome sequencing to assess the composition, diversity and functional enrichment of the preterm infant gut microbiome — the microorganisms that aid digestion, immune function and metabolism.

The Vanderbilt Vision Research Center was founded in 1989 and secured the National Eye Institute core grant that still supports it; the grant will provide approximately $3.3 million over the current five-year funding period.

“Somebody had a problem, and I knew I could fix it,” said Johnston, who received a 2025 Patient and Family Choice Award.