Shalini Jain, PhD

Dr. Shalini Jain investigates how the oral microbiome and proteomic signatures influence aging-related cognitive decline, with a focus on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Her research develops saliva- and stool-based biomarkers of cognitive impairment using samples from the Florida Department of Health–funded Microbiome in Aging Gut and Brain (MiaGB) consortium, where she serves as a co-investigator. She also leads the Microbiome in Cancer Treatment–Related Side Effects (MiCASE) study, which examines how the microbiome affects cognitive health in breast cancer survivors and explores probiotic interventions to correct microbiome abnormalities. With more than 14 years of experience studying microbiome–health interactions in chronic diseases, Dr. Jain collaborates widely and maintains funding from the Florida Department of Health, NSF, and NIH.

Dr. Jain is deeply committed to mentoring early-stage scientists. She has trained undergraduate and medical students, several of whom have received awards or advanced to industry positions or medical school pathways. She emphasizes hands-on learning, scientific curiosity, and individualized support to foster successful research careers.