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Andrew Hryckowian, PhD

Assistant Professor
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

What is your primary professional focus in any or all of our mission areas (clinical, research, and/or medical education)?
My primary professional focus is on research. In my laboratory, we study the microbial communities (microbiomes) that inhabit our bodies, with a specific focus on the gut microbiome. We use a broad toolkit, including animal models of disease, systems biology, and bacterial genetics to develop microbiome-centric concepts and approaches aimed at mitigating a variety of human diseases.

What drew you to UW-Madison and the Department of Medicine?
UW-Madison is a powerhouse for microbiology research, so being a member of this community was a major draw. I was equally excited by (and remain in awe of) the Department of Medicine because of my interactions with clinician scientists in the department. The insightful and thoughtful questions that arose during my interviews exceeded my high expectations and were portents of now budding collaborations. I am excited to build my research program in this environment and have my lab's work be simultaneously informed by basic science and clinical science colleagues.

What are you most excited about during your first year with the department in this role?
I look forward to building my laboratory team, generating some data, and securing my first external grant.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I like to exercise (cycling, running, at-home strength training) and cook/eat delicious food (many recent recipes inspired by The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz).

Favorite piece of advice from a mentor or inspiring figure in your life?
“DTFE." -Stanley Falkow