Mechanisms of Intestinal Epithelial Homeostasis and Repair
The intestinal epithelium is a critical barrier that must adapt and respond to both the gut environment and the body’s immune, neurological, and endocrinological systems while simultaneously undergoing continuous self-renewal. Recent studies suggest that the remarkable regenerative capacity of the intestine is due not just to intestinal stem cells, but also arises from cellular plasticity within progenitor populations of intestinal epithelial cells. Our laboratory is interested in deciphering the molecular machinery that controls the epithelial renewal and wound healing processes and how this machinery might be leveraged to heal damaged intestines. To do this, we use a combination of genetic disease models and intestinal organoids, three-dimensional “mini-intestines” derived from patients with intestinal disorders coupled with cutting-edge molecular technologies.