Heather Armstrong, MSc, PhDMED

Area of Study / Keywords

Gastroenterology Microbiome Nutrition Gut-Brain Axis Autoimmunity

About

Dr Armstrong is a Tenured Associate Professor at the University of Alberta Department of Medicine (Division of Gastroenterology), Adjunct Department of Pediatrics. She and her team continue to advance the field of nutrition, microbiology, and immunology research to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from inflammatory diseases and cancer. 

Research

In collaboration with patient and community advocates, the Armstrong team has expanded their research focus, demonstrating that environmental factors promote changes in the gut microbiome composition and functions which are directly involved in diseases of the gut-brain axis. The gut microbiome in turn mediates whether the host elicits a beneficial or detrimental response to their diet and environment. The goal of the Armstrong lab is to uncover the factors influencing composition and functions of the gut microbiome (e.g., sleep, mental health, geography, ethnicity, genetics), how the gut microbiome mediates host response to diet and environment, and the role that the gut microbiome plays in conditions of the gut-brain axis (intestine, liver, CNS). The team studies how these factors change throughout life from pregnancy and infancy to adulthood. Moving forward, the team has several well-funded projects that seek to use these early findings to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these environment-microbiome-host interactions, supporting tailored dietary interventions and microbiome-altering therapies. The goal of these interventions is to re-establish a healthier gut microbiome to reduce disease burden and improve quality of life. The ongoing work is well supported through funding and collaborations with government, industry partners and clinical teams capable of developing products (biomarker tests, prebiotics and probiotics) along with delivering guidelines (apps) and whole-food diet advice (dietitians and physicians).