Julia Oh, PhD, professor of dermatology, was appointed the director of the Duke Microbiome Center as of July 1, 2026.
Oh’s laboratory integrates computational and experimental approaches to understand how microbial communities interact with their hosts in the context of health, aging, and disease, with a focus on the skin and respiratory tract. By combining multi-omics analysis with experimental platforms such as CRISPR and organoid models, her work maps the characteristics of host–microbiome networks and advances strategies to engineer the microbiome for therapeutic purposes.
Oh, who holds additional appointments in integrative immunobiology and molecular genetics and microbiology, has been recognized nationally and internationally for her innovative contributions, including the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and honors from Business Insider and the Hartford Business Journal.
Since joining the Duke faculty in 2024, Oh has already played a central leadership role in the Center as co-director alongside John F. Rawls, PhD, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. Rawls stepped down as director of the Center in June after more than a decade of exceptional service. In this capacity, she has overseen key seed funding programs, including the Development Grant and Rolling Voucher initiatives, strengthened cross-campus collaboration, and launched the DMC Red Team program to support proposal development and mentorship, particularly for early-stage investigators.
During his tenure as director, Rawls guided the Duke Microbiome Center through a period of remarkable growth and impact. Under his leadership, the Center expanded from approximately 20 to nearly 70 affiliated faculty members, bringing together investigators from five Duke schools and 18 departments. His vision helped build a vibrant, highly collaborative community supported by an expanding portfolio of research programs, seed funding initiatives, educational offerings, and shared resources.