Exploring molecular mechanisms of bone remodeling and adipogenesis

Our research interests involve understanding how extracellular environment regulates cell behavior in bone and fat tissues. We are specifically focused on investigating how extracellular matrix proteins and their posttranslational processing by transglutaminase enzymes, modulates mesenchymal stem cell survival, function and differentiation to adipocytes and osteoblasts and how this links to pathophysiology of osteoporosis, defects in energy metabolism and adipogenesis. We also investigate monocyte and macrophage differentiation and their interaction with mesenchymal stem cell lineage cells in the bone marrow. Our expertise involves transgenic animal models and animal models of disease, cell and matrix biology, biochemistry and chemical biology.