Ellie Holzhausen
Current Hometown
East Grand Rapids, MI
Born and raised
Eau Claire, WI
Favorite Movie and/or musical group/singer?
It’s a tie between Interstellar and Mean Girls.
Favorite sport to play or watch?
I used to swim competitively in high school. I don’t watch many sports, but I’ll go out of my way to watch swimming during the Olympics.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I love getting outside to hike or bike. Since relocating to Grand Rapids, a lot of my free time has also been spent settling in and getting to know the area with my family, exploring new local parks and restaurants.
What is the most interesting/enjoyable place you have visited?
A few years ago, I took a memorable trip to Iceland, and the natural beauty there is unmatched. My only regret is that I visited in the summer; I would love to return in the winter to try and see the Northern Lights.
How did you become interested in your field? Was there a specific moment when you knew it was the right fit for you?
When I was younger, my favorite book was The Hot Zone, and I imagined a future in vaccine development. In college, I studied math and computer science and later worked at a software company. It wasn’t until I learned about epidemiology that I was able to bring my quantitative skills together with questions about human health that really interested me.
What/who influenced you to select your area(s) of study and how has that impacted your career?
My PhD advisor, Dr. Paul Peppard, first encouraged me to explore the gut microbiome, based on my quantitative background. His guidance really helped shape my career direction and introduced me to the field of microbiome research. My postdoctoral mentor, Dr. Tanya Alderete, helped me sharpen my focus on the development of the gut microbiome during early life, because of its lasting importance to human health.
Describe your current research or area of interest
My research is focused on understanding how the gut microbiome develops during early life, how early exposures influence gut microbiome development, and how this ultimately impacts child health.
What advice would you give to a student?
Don’t feel like you have to have everything figured out right now – some of the best opportunities of my career so far have come from unexpected places.