Grant: Operating Grant

My lab studies how epithelial tissue structure is regulated. Epithelia are the sheets of adherent cells that form our skin and separate our body compartments. Each side of an epithelial sheet has distinct molecular properties. This epithelial polarity guides embryo development and directs adult functions (e.g. nutrient uptake in the gut). Its loss is associated with cancer. We are studying how epithelial polarity is established and maintained, focusing on polarity-organizing machinery operating in each epithelial cell. We are identifying the proteins making up this machinery, and determining how they function together to establish and maintain epithelial polarity in the Drosophila embryo. Because the same polarity proteins function in Drosophila and humans, this fundamental research will provide an important foundation for understanding cancer and developing regenerative medicine. By defining the molecular machinery that controls normal tissue development, we can devise strategies to (1) control tissue breakdown and metastasis during cancer progression and (2) guide tissue engineering for treating diseases and disabilities.