Fulton Schools Professor Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown (at left in photo), director of ASU’s Biodesign Center for Health Through Microbiomes, is already widely known for how her studies of the human gut have revealed information that is advancing research on treatments for autism. Now she and ASU and Mayo Clinic collaborators have found evidence that gut bacteria that are affected by hormones can spark changes in metabolism and brain function. One result of that finding may be opening a way toward progress in effective ways to treat the symptoms of menopause and to generally improve women’s health. Along with fellow researcher Heather Bimonte-Nelson (at right in photo), a professor in ASU’s Department of Psychology, Krajmalnik-Brown sees the potential for a deeper understanding of the interactions of microbial communities with gut chemistry leading to various kinds of therapies beyond those related to menopause.