Position & Title

Associate Professor, Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Baylor University
Associate Professor, Nutrition Sciences, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University
Interim Chair, Department of Public Health, Baylor University (2024–2025)

Education & Training

Ph.D., Molecular Carcinogenesis – University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 2010
M.P.H., Epidemiology & Biostatistics – Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2011
M.S., Exercise and Sports Nutrition – Texas Woman’s University, 2001
B.S., Nutrition and Food Science – Stephen F. Austin State University, 1997
Postdoctoral Fellowship – National Cancer Institute, NIH (Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program)

Biography

Dr. K. Leigh Greathouse is an Associate Professor at Baylor University with joint appointments in the Department of Biology (College of Arts & Sciences) and Nutrition Sciences (Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences). A cancer biologist, epidemiologist, and registered dietitian, her work focuses on understanding how diet and the microbiome converge to influence cancer development, treatment response, and survivorship. Her research is driven both by her expertise in molecular biology and her personal experience as a young adult cancer survivor, fueling her passion for advancing precision nutrition approaches to improve cancer outcomes.

Research Interests

Diet and the gut microbiome play a central role in cancer risk, progression, and treatment outcomes. Many questions remain about how microbial metabolites, host immune responses, and dietary exposures converge to shape gastrointestinal carcinogenesis and influence therapeutic response. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for developing precision nutrition strategies that improve cancer prevention and survivorship. Dr. Greathouse’s research program investigates these intersections using a combination of molecular biology, microbiome profiling, and computational approaches. Current projects include identifying microbial taxa and metabolites that predict chemotherapy-induced toxicity in colorectal cancer, engineering probiotics to selectively target oncomicrobes such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, and uncovering microbial contributions to vitamin D metabolism and biofilm formation. Additional studies explore the role of microbial outer membrane vesicles and small RNAs in modulating host inflammatory signaling. The lab also integrates epidemiology, clinical cohorts, and animal models to link diet–microbiome interactions with cancer risk and therapy outcomes. A growing data science component of the program leverages artificial intelligence and graph-based models to map food–microbe–metabolite–immune networks for translational applications in oncology and nutrition.

Selected Publications

Greathouse KL*, Choudhury A. Precision nutrition and the gut microbiome: Harnessing AI to revolutionize cancer prevention and therapy. Cell Host & Microbe. 2025;33(6):766-776.

Greathouse KL, White JR, Vargas AJ, et al. Interaction between the microbiome and TP53 in human lung cancer. Genome Biol. 2018;19:123.

Greathouse KL*, Wyatt M, Johnson AJ, et al. Diet–microbiome interactions in cancer treatment: Opportunities and challenges for precision nutrition in cancer. Neoplasia. 2022;29:100800.

Byrd DA, Fan W, Greathouse KL, et al. The intratumor microbiome is associated with microsatellite instability. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023;djad083.

Teaching

Dr. Greathouse teaches undergraduate and graduate courses that integrate biology, nutrition, and cancer science. Her courses emphasize critical thinking, scientific literacy, and applying foundational knowledge to human health.

Courses taught include:

• BIO 5409 – Cancer Biology
• NUTR 2351 – Nutrition
• NUTR 5354 – Public Health Nutrition
• NUTR 5355 – Macronutrients and Metabolism

Honors & Awards

• Baylor Fellow Award, Baylor University (2021)
• NIH Merit Award (2012)
• Rising Star Award, Office of the Vice Provost for Research, Baylor University (2015)
• Aspen Cancer Conference Fellow (2013)
• Pure Gold Award, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University (2022)

Service & Leadership

• Chair, Diet and Cancer Research Interest Group, American Society of Nutrition (2023–2024)
• Editorial Board Member – Carcinogenesis (2015–2023)
• Editorial Board Member – Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers (2018–2024)
• Ad hoc grant reviewer for NIH (NCI, NIAID, NIGMS) and Department of Defense (CDMRP)
• Graduate Program Director, Human Sciences & Design, Baylor University (2022–2024)

Mentorship

Dr. Greathouse is committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists. She has supervised postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D. candidates, and master’s students across Biology, Nutrition, and Health Sciences. Her mentees have received national fellowships (NIH, Fulbright, ASCO) and awards recognizing their contributions to microbiome and cancer research.