Mechanical stretch is a very basic stimulus that can influence every peripheral tissue. Our laboratory is interested in how it is sensed at the periphery and how it interacts with tissue-resident immune cells to regulate biological functions under various perturbed conditions.
The atopic march is the natural progression of allergic diseases that often begins with atopic dermatitis in infancy and progresses to food allergies, allergic rhinitis and asthma. We are investigating the pathogenesis of the atopic march in a mouse model.
The cells in our body communicate with each other at all times. Since our body is composed of various types of cell, such as immune cells, stromal cells and neurons, understanding their 'language' is critical to interpreting how this communication manifests as biological function. Our lab focuses on how these cells communicate with each other and the consequences of these conversations in the context of biological function.