Over the last 15 years, Dr. Eliana Mariño has established herself as an internationally recognized expert in the microbiome, immunology, and medical research. Her translational research program focuses on cutting-edge multi-omics and novel nutritional technology to define functional signatures for disease states, inflammation, and autoimmunity. She has characterized the immune system profile in many autoimmune and inflammatory disease models and revealed the reach and impact of the gut microbiota by tracing the role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) (Nature Communications 2015a, 2015b, 2019; FASEB 2019, Cells 2020 and CTI 2021). Her Nature Immunology study, a highly cited microbiota study (>405 citations), has undoubtedly demonstrated for the first time the increase of circulating SCFAs associated with the prevention of T1D (Nature Immunology, 2017). Her research has paved the way for microbiota-targeted clinical studies. In addition, Dr. Mariño has led the first study demonstrating the potential of a dietary pre-postbiotic rehabilitating the ‘diabetogenic’ microbiome associated with improved glycaemic control in patients with T1D (Microbiome, 2022). Dr. Mariño’s research program is built on a detailed/unique understanding of host-microbiome crosstalk. She continues to discover new metabolites and investigate novel pathways in the diet-microbiota-immune axis and how they impact diseases such as periodontitis, T2D, obesity, traumatic brain injury, and cancer.