Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
Disease mechanisms and treatments for inherited childhood neurodegeneration

Key words
Batten Disease, Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, NCL, Lysosomal Storage Disease, pathogenesis, pre-clinical therapies, enzyme replacement, gene therapy

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
We study how different types of neurons encoding somatosensory modalities are assembled into functional circuits in both humans and model organisms.

Key words
pain, optogenetics, imaging, electrophysiology

Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Neurosciences
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
(1) transcriptional networks in the retina; (2) the mechanistic basis of color vision; (3) the cis-regulatory basis of human uniqueness and neuropsychiatric disease

Key words
neurobiology, genomics, transcriptional networks, systems biology, photoreceptors, brain, neuropsychiatric disease, disease, cis-regulation

Program affiliation
Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Immunology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary
To address the central mandate of gene therapy we engineer adenovirus tropism to allow the achievement of effective gene delivery

Key words
Adenovirus, virotherapy, virus, cancer, gene therapy, vaccine

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
My research aims to understand the lung vascular homeostasis and the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases using novel animal models, integrated pharmacological approaches, genome editing and single cell RNA-sequencing and spatial transcriptomics.

Key words
cardiovascular, lung, vascular, single cell, spatial transcriptomic

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary
Neural circuits in development and disease

Key words
axon regeneration, axon degeneration, neurodegeneration, glia, neuronal development and differentiation, neuroinflammation, neuroimmunology, synapse biology, drug screens, metabolism

Program affiliation
Computational and Systems Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Cancer Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary
Cancer Proteogenomics and Cancer Models

Key words

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary

Key words

Program affiliation
Immunology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary
Gene regulation for lymphocyte development and adaptive immune responses

Key words
lymphocyte development, adaptive immunity, transcription factors, cytokines, oncogenesis

Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
Our lab studies how disease-associated histone mutations disrupt chromatin and epigenetic regulation, contributing to developmental disorders, brain inflammation, and cancer. We take a multidisciplinary approach that combines biochemical and genomic assays, molecular genetics, cell biology, and both Drosophila and mouse models to investigate how these mutations impair development and drive tumorigenesis. Current projects focus on neurodevelopmental disorders, cancer-associated histone mutations, chromatin–immune crosstalk, and the discovery of chromatin-associated factors. Through this work, we aim to uncover fundamental mechanisms of chromatin dysregulation and identify new therapeutic targets.

Key words
Chromatin, Epigenetics, Gene Regulation, Cancer, Developmental Disorders, Brain Inflammation