Research

Millions of bone graft procedures are performed annually worldwide, yet none of the available bone graft materials can fully match the properties of an autograft, which is often unsuitable for many clinical scenarios. 

At our lab, we're dedicated to improving the design of bone graft materials by gaining a better understanding of how cells respond to cues. We seek to understand why some materials consistently signal cells to form bone, while others fail completely. This knowledge may aid the development of new and improved therapies.

The cornea serves as a clear window that allows light to enter the eye. Unfortunately, corneal opacity is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, and an estimated 12.7 million people are currently awaiting treatment. Shockingly, there is only one donor cornea available for every seventy patients in need of a corneal transplantation.

While improving donor cornea logistics and attitudes toward donation in different societies could partially alleviate the current donor shortage, we believe that developing novel and improved approaches for corneal endothelial regeneration is one of the most promising ways to address the current tissue shortage problem and make treatment available to those in need.

At our lab, we aim to improve our understanding of the biological mechanisms that regulate corneal regeneration to develop effective therapies that can help restore vision for millions of people worldwide.

Dialysis is associated with high morbidity. Like the cornea, kidney transplants face donor shortages. With impressive progress being made in directing the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to kidney endpoints in organoids, the possibility of a kidney replacement therapy is becoming a reality. 

However, before kidney organoids can be suitable for replacement therapy, several challenges must be addressed, including improving their quality. By combining our increasing knowledge of cell biology with technologies from tissue engineering, we're currently focused on improving the quality of kidney organoids by removing undesirable features such as incorrect cell types. Through our research, we hope to advance the field of kidney regeneration and bring a much-needed effective treatment to patients suffering from renal disease.

Type 1 diabetes is a debilitating autoimmune disease affecting over 40 million people globally. In this disease, the body's immune system destroys beta cells in pancreatic islets, leading to abnormal glycemic levels that can be difficult to control. Our lab focuses on understanding the self-assembly of islets, which include alpha and beta cells as well as endothelial cells. By studying how these cells interact and form islets, we hope to better understand the disease and develop new regenerative therapies. Additionally, we are interested in finding ways to protect these cells from the stresses they encounter during transplantation, which may improve the effectiveness of existing therapies for type 1 diabetes.