Honoring veterans through science

For Saurabh Chatterjee, the work of honoring veterans happens every day in the lab, through data and in the promise of new treatments for those who have borne the invisible wounds of war.

For more 10 years, the professor of environmental and occupational health in the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health and professor of medicine in School of Medicine has devoted his career to unraveling the biological mysteries of Gulf War syndrome, a chronic condition involving fatigue, joint pain, memory loss, diarrhea, headaches and skin rash that has affected thousands of U.S. service members since the 1990-91 conflict. His research is conducted in collaboration with the VA Long Beach Healthcare System and alters how scientists and clinicians understand the illness - and how it might one day be cured.

This fall, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledged Chatterjee's decade of contributions with a five-year, nearly $1 million Research Career Scientist Award. The highly competitive, peer-reviewed distinction honors a select group of investigators nationwide whose research has had a lasting impact on veterans' health.

"This recognition reflects not only years of dedication but also the trust veterans place in us to help improve their quality of life," Chatterjee says. "Our partnership with the VA allows UC Irvine scientists to translate discoveries from the lab to real-world care."

He holds a joint appointment with the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, part of a longstanding federal-academic model that enables researchers to pursue federally funded studies alongside their university work. At UC Irvine, Chatterjee's work bridges environmental health, microbiome science and precision medicine to illuminate how disruptions in gut bacteria cause neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms in veterans with Gulf War syndrome.

Among his current research:

• A $2.26 million, VA-funded clinical study - along with a $2.3 million merit proposal, currently under review - on how the gut microbiome and metabolome contribute to chronic fatigue and cognitive deficits in Gulf War syndrome.
• A $2.7 million clinical trial testing butyrate, a naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid, as a potential therapy for chronic, multisymptomatic illness among veterans.

In August, Chatterjee and his UC Irvine-led research team published findings in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that deepen understanding of the illness. Using advanced sequencing and machine learning tools, they identified specific bacterial species that differ between veterans with and without Gulf War illness, evidence that not only confirms the gut-brain connection but also suggests new therapeutic targets.

"We've only scratched the surface of what we can do for veterans living with these conditions," Chatterjee says. "But we now have a biological road map that points us toward meaningful treatment."