Prof Francine Marques
@fzmarques.bsky.social
Viertel, NHMRC & Heart Foundation Fellow & #Hypertension Lab Head at Monash University. Gut #microbiome, 🐶 lover, #Cancer survivor, Australian Academy of Science Gottschalk🏅she/her. Always an ally
Pinned
www.ma
Hi everyone! I’m a Professor at @monashuniversity.bsky.social
The purpose of our lab is to build exceptional scientists that help to improve cardiovascular health 🩷
Our lab specialises in leveraging the gut microbiome to prevent/treat hypertension
Our website & lab manual 👇
www.marqueslab.com
The purpose of our lab is to build exceptional scientists that help to improve cardiovascular health 🩷
Our lab specialises in leveraging the gut microbiome to prevent/treat hypertension
Our website & lab manual 👇
www.marqueslab.com
Reposted by Prof Francine Marques
New #MicrobiomeDigest is OUT microbiomedigest.com/2026/01/14/j...
• gut microbiome / @fasnicar.bsky.social
• maternal microbiome / @fzmarques.bsky.social
• bark microbiome / @bobpmleung.bsky.social
See you next week at #MVIF 45 (@microbiomevif.bsky.social)!
• gut microbiome / @fasnicar.bsky.social
• maternal microbiome / @fzmarques.bsky.social
• bark microbiome / @bobpmleung.bsky.social
See you next week at #MVIF 45 (@microbiomevif.bsky.social)!
January 14, 2026
See you at MVIF next week! Gut microbiomeEarly-life colonization by aromatic-lactate-producing bifidobacteria lowers the risk of allergic sensitization – Pernille Neve Myers – Nature Microbiology&n…
microbiomedigest.com
January 14, 2026 at 10:08 AM
New #MicrobiomeDigest is OUT microbiomedigest.com/2026/01/14/j...
• gut microbiome / @fasnicar.bsky.social
• maternal microbiome / @fzmarques.bsky.social
• bark microbiome / @bobpmleung.bsky.social
See you next week at #MVIF 45 (@microbiomevif.bsky.social)!
• gut microbiome / @fasnicar.bsky.social
• maternal microbiome / @fzmarques.bsky.social
• bark microbiome / @bobpmleung.bsky.social
See you next week at #MVIF 45 (@microbiomevif.bsky.social)!
Excited to host Tim at the Victorian Heart Institute
Limited space, please sign up below
And thanks for sharing @monashnutrition.bsky.social
Limited space, please sign up below
And thanks for sharing @monashnutrition.bsky.social
What if heart health starts in the gut? 🧠❤️
Join us for 'A Conversation with Tim Spector
A free public event exploring the science of food, the gut microbiome & cardiovascular health. Q&A inc. Prof
@fzmarques.bsky.social
📅 Tue 3 February 5.30 pm | 🎟️ Free
🔗 lnkd.in/gTjvc3zs
Join us for 'A Conversation with Tim Spector
A free public event exploring the science of food, the gut microbiome & cardiovascular health. Q&A inc. Prof
@fzmarques.bsky.social
📅 Tue 3 February 5.30 pm | 🎟️ Free
🔗 lnkd.in/gTjvc3zs
January 13, 2026 at 12:47 AM
Excited to host Tim at the Victorian Heart Institute
Limited space, please sign up below
And thanks for sharing @monashnutrition.bsky.social
Limited space, please sign up below
And thanks for sharing @monashnutrition.bsky.social
Our first paper of 2026 is out
When we began this project, this was not the paper we set out to publish
But science has a way of redirecting us toward the questions we should be asking
#Microbiome researchers-this one’s for you
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧵
When we began this project, this was not the paper we set out to publish
But science has a way of redirecting us toward the questions we should be asking
#Microbiome researchers-this one’s for you
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧵
The maternal microbiome influence on pregnancy success: breeding comparison of germ-free and conventionalized mice
Germ-free (GF) animals, which are entirely devoid of all microorganisms, are one of the most powerful tools for studying the role of the microbiome in a phenotype, moving the microbiome field from ...
www.tandfonline.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:45 AM
Our first paper of 2026 is out
When we began this project, this was not the paper we set out to publish
But science has a way of redirecting us toward the questions we should be asking
#Microbiome researchers-this one’s for you
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧵
When we began this project, this was not the paper we set out to publish
But science has a way of redirecting us toward the questions we should be asking
#Microbiome researchers-this one’s for you
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧵
Excited to welcome Tim to our institute
If you are in Melbourne and are interested in heart health and diet this will be a great event 👇👇👇
If you are in Melbourne and are interested in heart health and diet this will be a great event 👇👇👇
What if heart health starts in the gut? 🧠❤️
Join us for 'A Conversation with Tim Spector
A free public event exploring the science of food, the gut microbiome & cardiovascular health. Q&A inc. Prof
@fzmarques.bsky.social
📅 Tue 3 February 5.30 pm | 🎟️ Free
🔗 lnkd.in/gTjvc3zs
Join us for 'A Conversation with Tim Spector
A free public event exploring the science of food, the gut microbiome & cardiovascular health. Q&A inc. Prof
@fzmarques.bsky.social
📅 Tue 3 February 5.30 pm | 🎟️ Free
🔗 lnkd.in/gTjvc3zs
January 8, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Excited to welcome Tim to our institute
If you are in Melbourne and are interested in heart health and diet this will be a great event 👇👇👇
If you are in Melbourne and are interested in heart health and diet this will be a great event 👇👇👇
I was asked to share my Hypertension Australia Colin Johnston lecture, delivered at the joint Hypertension Australia-@ASCEPTanz last month in Adelaide
So if you missed it, here it is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qZn...
#microbiome #hypertension #bloodpressure #resistantstarches #shortchainfattyacids
So if you missed it, here it is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qZn...
#microbiome #hypertension #bloodpressure #resistantstarches #shortchainfattyacids
2025 Hypertension Australia Colin Johnston Lecture, delivered by Prof Francine Marques
YouTube video by Francine Marques
www.youtube.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:52 AM
I was asked to share my Hypertension Australia Colin Johnston lecture, delivered at the joint Hypertension Australia-@ASCEPTanz last month in Adelaide
So if you missed it, here it is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qZn...
#microbiome #hypertension #bloodpressure #resistantstarches #shortchainfattyacids
So if you missed it, here it is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qZn...
#microbiome #hypertension #bloodpressure #resistantstarches #shortchainfattyacids
Announcing our lab annual award winners 🏆
Every year, our team votes on team members who contributed towards helping behaviours, something we fail to capture in promotion and fellowship applications
Here are the 2025 award winners:
Every year, our team votes on team members who contributed towards helping behaviours, something we fail to capture in promotion and fellowship applications
Here are the 2025 award winners:
January 5, 2026 at 6:10 AM
Announcing our lab annual award winners 🏆
Every year, our team votes on team members who contributed towards helping behaviours, something we fail to capture in promotion and fellowship applications
Here are the 2025 award winners:
Every year, our team votes on team members who contributed towards helping behaviours, something we fail to capture in promotion and fellowship applications
Here are the 2025 award winners:
Lab presentations at the joint @ascept.bsky.social and Hypertension Australia meeting this week 🤩
#hypertension #microbiome #immunesystem
#hypertension #microbiome #immunesystem
December 9, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Lab presentations at the joint @ascept.bsky.social and Hypertension Australia meeting this week 🤩
#hypertension #microbiome #immunesystem
#hypertension #microbiome #immunesystem
✅ New preprint alert, led by final year PhD student Evany Dinakis
📄 Read it here: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
🧬 Key insights: Gut microbiome composition and colonic pH are linked to systemic immune profiles in humans
#microbiome #microbiota #immunesystem @microbiomevif.bsky.social
📄 Read it here: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
🧬 Key insights: Gut microbiome composition and colonic pH are linked to systemic immune profiles in humans
#microbiome #microbiota #immunesystem @microbiomevif.bsky.social
The gut microbiome and colonic pH shape the peripheral immune landscape in humans
The physicochemical environment of the gut, particularly colonic pH, plays a critical role in shaping host-microbe interactions; yet its influence on systemic immunity in humans remains poorly underst...
www.medrxiv.org
December 9, 2025 at 12:00 AM
✅ New preprint alert, led by final year PhD student Evany Dinakis
📄 Read it here: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
🧬 Key insights: Gut microbiome composition and colonic pH are linked to systemic immune profiles in humans
#microbiome #microbiota #immunesystem @microbiomevif.bsky.social
📄 Read it here: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
🧬 Key insights: Gut microbiome composition and colonic pH are linked to systemic immune profiles in humans
#microbiome #microbiota #immunesystem @microbiomevif.bsky.social
Congratulations to @rikeish.bsky.social, awarded the Victorian Cardiovascular Research Network inaugural award for best ECR paper of the year in the discovery category
#microbiome #bloodpressure
Kicking goals 👏👏👏
Full paper 👇👇👇
www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/...
#microbiome #bloodpressure
Kicking goals 👏👏👏
Full paper 👇👇👇
www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/...
Gut Microbiota Metabolites Sensed by Host GPR41/43 Protect Against Hypertension | Circulation Research
BACKGROUND: Fermentation of dietary fiber by the gut microbiota leads to the production of metabolites
called short-chain fatty acids, which lower blood pressure and exert cardioprotective
effects. Sh...
www.ahajournals.org
December 4, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Congratulations to @rikeish.bsky.social, awarded the Victorian Cardiovascular Research Network inaugural award for best ECR paper of the year in the discovery category
#microbiome #bloodpressure
Kicking goals 👏👏👏
Full paper 👇👇👇
www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/...
#microbiome #bloodpressure
Kicking goals 👏👏👏
Full paper 👇👇👇
www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/...
Congratulations to Rikeish R Muralitharan
His major PhD paper published in Circulation Research in February 2025 is already a WoS Highly Cited paper 🤩
lnkd.in/gMbx5HyA
His major PhD paper published in Circulation Research in February 2025 is already a WoS Highly Cited paper 🤩
lnkd.in/gMbx5HyA
December 1, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Congratulations to Rikeish R Muralitharan
His major PhD paper published in Circulation Research in February 2025 is already a WoS Highly Cited paper 🤩
lnkd.in/gMbx5HyA
His major PhD paper published in Circulation Research in February 2025 is already a WoS Highly Cited paper 🤩
lnkd.in/gMbx5HyA
As our former PhD student Dr Anna Beale used to say: ✨ Women are not small men ✨
Last year, we showed in Circulation Research that maternal fibre intake during pregnancy protects offspring hearts via gut microbial metabolites (SCFAs)
🔗https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324614
Last year, we showed in Circulation Research that maternal fibre intake during pregnancy protects offspring hearts via gut microbial metabolites (SCFAs)
🔗https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324614
Maternal Diet and Gut Microbiota Influence Predisposition to Cardiovascular Disease in Offspring | Circulation Research
www.ahajournals.org
December 1, 2025 at 10:57 AM
As our former PhD student Dr Anna Beale used to say: ✨ Women are not small men ✨
Last year, we showed in Circulation Research that maternal fibre intake during pregnancy protects offspring hearts via gut microbial metabolites (SCFAs)
🔗https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324614
Last year, we showed in Circulation Research that maternal fibre intake during pregnancy protects offspring hearts via gut microbial metabolites (SCFAs)
🔗https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324614
Reposted by Prof Francine Marques
Thank you for the recognition! Grateful for the support from @fzmarques.bsky.social and Malindi, PhD student, lead coordinator for the study. Also to High BP Foundation for the seed funding!
Congratulations to our next #ECIExcellence2025 nominee, @rikeish.bsky.social from Monash University, on launching his first clinical trial, GRAINS-BP! This study investigates how dietary fibres and SCFAs may lower blood pressure through the gut–brain axis.
November 17, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Thank you for the recognition! Grateful for the support from @fzmarques.bsky.social and Malindi, PhD student, lead coordinator for the study. Also to High BP Foundation for the seed funding!
Or as Brene Brown wrote
“You can either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior"
“You can either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior"
My quote of the day
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
October 30, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Or as Brene Brown wrote
“You can either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior"
“You can either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior"
Gold thesis titles in this thread 🤣
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
October 30, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Gold thesis titles in this thread 🤣
A great honour to receive the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Jian Zhou Medal last night from the Minister Mark Butler and AAHMS President Prof Louise Baur, alongside the other amazing medalist Prof Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg
October 30, 2025 at 2:53 AM
A great honour to receive the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Jian Zhou Medal last night from the Minister Mark Butler and AAHMS President Prof Louise Baur, alongside the other amazing medalist Prof Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg
Congratulations Dr Lizzie Kleeman, Dr Carol Gubert, @anthonyjhannan.bsky.social & co-authors 👏👏👏
Thank you for the invitation for @rikeish.bsky.social and I to help with the #microbiome analysis requested by reviewers - a pleasure to work with you as always
@natureportfolio.nature.com
Thank you for the invitation for @rikeish.bsky.social and I to help with the #microbiome analysis requested by reviewers - a pleasure to work with you as always
@natureportfolio.nature.com
I am delighted to share our new paper! nature.com/articles/s41...
Lizzie Kleeman & our Florey Institute team, with WEHI, UoM & others, found that paternal COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 infection) can alter sperm & offspring phenotypes, including anxiety. This discovery has major (brain) health implications!
Lizzie Kleeman & our Florey Institute team, with WEHI, UoM & others, found that paternal COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 infection) can alter sperm & offspring phenotypes, including anxiety. This discovery has major (brain) health implications!
Paternal SARS-CoV-2 infection impacts sperm small noncoding RNAs and increases anxiety in offspring in a sex-dependent manner - Nature Communications
Whether paternal pre-conceptual SARS-CoV-2 infection impacts sperm RNA content, or effects offspring phenotypes, has not been previously investigated. Here authors report changes in sperm noncoding RNAs in SARS-CoV-2 infected sires and increased anxiety-like behaviors in offspring.
nature.com
October 12, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Congratulations Dr Lizzie Kleeman, Dr Carol Gubert, @anthonyjhannan.bsky.social & co-authors 👏👏👏
Thank you for the invitation for @rikeish.bsky.social and I to help with the #microbiome analysis requested by reviewers - a pleasure to work with you as always
@natureportfolio.nature.com
Thank you for the invitation for @rikeish.bsky.social and I to help with the #microbiome analysis requested by reviewers - a pleasure to work with you as always
@natureportfolio.nature.com
Congratulations to our PhD student Evany Dinakis who completed her final milestone today, delivering a fantastic presentation 👏👏👏 an example of great science communication skills + great science
#microbiome
#bloodpressure
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
#microbiome
#bloodpressure
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
October 2, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Congratulations to our PhD student Evany Dinakis who completed her final milestone today, delivering a fantastic presentation 👏👏👏 an example of great science communication skills + great science
#microbiome
#bloodpressure
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
#microbiome
#bloodpressure
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
If you missed Dr Chudan Xu's talk on what happens when we don't eat enough fibre, the preprint is now live 👇
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#EESMicrobiome @events.embl.org
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#EESMicrobiome @events.embl.org
September 20, 2025 at 8:11 AM
If you missed Dr Chudan Xu's talk on what happens when we don't eat enough fibre, the preprint is now live 👇
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#EESMicrobiome @events.embl.org
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#EESMicrobiome @events.embl.org
Big thank you to @events.embl.org, @cibiocm.bsky.social, @borklab.bsky.social, Mani Arumugam & @amibhatt.bsky.social for a wonderful microbiome conference #EESMicrobiome
My team and I had a great time, learned lots, met lots of inspiring researchers & made friends ✅
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
My team and I had a great time, learned lots, met lots of inspiring researchers & made friends ✅
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
September 20, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Big thank you to @events.embl.org, @cibiocm.bsky.social, @borklab.bsky.social, Mani Arumugam & @amibhatt.bsky.social for a wonderful microbiome conference #EESMicrobiome
My team and I had a great time, learned lots, met lots of inspiring researchers & made friends ✅
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
My team and I had a great time, learned lots, met lots of inspiring researchers & made friends ✅
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
Thank you so much for having me @events.embl.org
What a great conference this has been! We are definitely coming back 🤩
#eesmicrobiome
What a great conference this has been! We are definitely coming back 🤩
#eesmicrobiome
☀️ Good morning from Day 3 of #EESMicrobiome 🦠
☕🥨 Fuelled by coffee and pretzels, we’re starting strong with Session 4: Microbiome–host interactions in health and disease.
🎤 'Understanding gut-to-host communication to prevent cardiovascular disease' by @fzmarques.bsky.social (Monash University)
☕🥨 Fuelled by coffee and pretzels, we’re starting strong with Session 4: Microbiome–host interactions in health and disease.
🎤 'Understanding gut-to-host communication to prevent cardiovascular disease' by @fzmarques.bsky.social (Monash University)
September 18, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Thank you so much for having me @events.embl.org
What a great conference this has been! We are definitely coming back 🤩
#eesmicrobiome
What a great conference this has been! We are definitely coming back 🤩
#eesmicrobiome
Proud of our team members Dr Chudan Xu and Phoebe Cheong for being brave and asking (great) questions at @embl.org #EESMicrobiome 👏👏👏
September 17, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Proud of our team members Dr Chudan Xu and Phoebe Cheong for being brave and asking (great) questions at @embl.org #EESMicrobiome 👏👏👏
Incredibly honoured to be the recipient of the 2025 Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Jian Zhou medal
aahms.org/news/two-pio...
Presenting on this topic tomorrow at @embl.org #EESmicrobiome in the beautiful Heidelberg
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
aahms.org/news/two-pio...
Presenting on this topic tomorrow at @embl.org #EESmicrobiome in the beautiful Heidelberg
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
Two pioneering researchers awarded 2025 Jian Zhou Medals - AAHMS
The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences has awarded the 2025 Jian Zhou Medal to two outstanding mid-career researchers whose work is transform ...
aahms.org
September 17, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Incredibly honoured to be the recipient of the 2025 Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Jian Zhou medal
aahms.org/news/two-pio...
Presenting on this topic tomorrow at @embl.org #EESmicrobiome in the beautiful Heidelberg
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
aahms.org/news/two-pio...
Presenting on this topic tomorrow at @embl.org #EESmicrobiome in the beautiful Heidelberg
@monashuniversity.bsky.social
Reposted by Prof Francine Marques
#GloMiNe recordings now available!!
@cassyni.bsky.social ▶️ cassyni.com/s/mvif-glomi...
YouTube ▶️ www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
@microbiotavault.bsky.social #MVIF
Thanks @tosina.bsky.social for putting all up.
@cassyni.bsky.social ▶️ cassyni.com/s/mvif-glomi...
YouTube ▶️ www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
@microbiotavault.bsky.social #MVIF
Thanks @tosina.bsky.social for putting all up.
GloMiNe 2025 by Microbiota Vault and MVIF - 9th/11th September 2025 - YouTube
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2025 at 10:14 AM
#GloMiNe recordings now available!!
@cassyni.bsky.social ▶️ cassyni.com/s/mvif-glomi...
YouTube ▶️ www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
@microbiotavault.bsky.social #MVIF
Thanks @tosina.bsky.social for putting all up.
@cassyni.bsky.social ▶️ cassyni.com/s/mvif-glomi...
YouTube ▶️ www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
@microbiotavault.bsky.social #MVIF
Thanks @tosina.bsky.social for putting all up.
I’m here 🙌 🥳 If someone wants to catch up for coffee or a meal tomorrow let me know
@borklab.bsky.social @cibiocm.bsky.social @luispedrocoelho.bsky.social
@borklab.bsky.social @cibiocm.bsky.social @luispedrocoelho.bsky.social
Starting my journey from Australia to Heidelberg 🇩🇪 to the @embl.org Human Microbiome conference
It’s not every day we get the chance of 4 days of human microbiome research 🤩🤩🤩 I’m so excited
Still chance to attend it online 👇
www.embl.org/about/info/c...
It’s not every day we get the chance of 4 days of human microbiome research 🤩🤩🤩 I’m so excited
Still chance to attend it online 👇
www.embl.org/about/info/c...
The human microbiome
www.embl.org
September 14, 2025 at 7:41 PM
I’m here 🙌 🥳 If someone wants to catch up for coffee or a meal tomorrow let me know
@borklab.bsky.social @cibiocm.bsky.social @luispedrocoelho.bsky.social
@borklab.bsky.social @cibiocm.bsky.social @luispedrocoelho.bsky.social
Starting my journey from Australia to Heidelberg 🇩🇪 to the @embl.org Human Microbiome conference
It’s not every day we get the chance of 4 days of human microbiome research 🤩🤩🤩 I’m so excited
Still chance to attend it online 👇
www.embl.org/about/info/c...
It’s not every day we get the chance of 4 days of human microbiome research 🤩🤩🤩 I’m so excited
Still chance to attend it online 👇
www.embl.org/about/info/c...
The human microbiome
www.embl.org
September 13, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Starting my journey from Australia to Heidelberg 🇩🇪 to the @embl.org Human Microbiome conference
It’s not every day we get the chance of 4 days of human microbiome research 🤩🤩🤩 I’m so excited
Still chance to attend it online 👇
www.embl.org/about/info/c...
It’s not every day we get the chance of 4 days of human microbiome research 🤩🤩🤩 I’m so excited
Still chance to attend it online 👇
www.embl.org/about/info/c...