Jacob Hiatt

Jacob is a Ph.D student in the David Lab with a keen interest in pathogenesis, host-microbe interactions and metabolomics. He began his doctorate program within Duke University’s Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology in 2023. Jacob holds a B.S. in biological sciences from Catawba College, where he worked on a project characterizing novel antimicrobial compounds from soil-dwelling bacteria. At the David Lab, he studies DNA as a dietary component, focusing on how it is digested and the resulting physiological consequences. He also researches the health impact of food processing and how FoodSeq can be used to identify processed foods. In his spare time, Jacob enjoys cooking, reading, and playing video games.