Host-microbe interactions

Our bodies host a diverse garden of commensal bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These microbes are not mere bystanders; they provide vital signals that sustain our physiological processes. Our lab focuses on the mechanisms and consequences of host-microbe interactions, particularly in the skin and gut, which are the primary interfaces between our body and the terrestrial environment.

Throughout our lifetime, long-lived tissue stem cells sustain our epithelial barriers. We are especially interested in identifying the spatial and functional interactions between commensal microbes and tissue stem cells both at steady state and during wounding. Key questions we explore include: Do certain microbial signals stimulate regeneration while others delay it? Can tissue stem cells or their niches sense commensals, or is this sensing limited to their differentiated progeny? How does microbial modulation of stem cells affect their homeostatic, regenerative, and injury responses?

By "eavesdropping" on the conversations between microbes and adult stem cells, we aim to understand how tissues are dynamically modulated by our microbial companions. This knowledge could lead to novel stem cell-modulating therapies to improve barrier tissue fitness.
In addition to studying commensals, we also investigate the tissue damage caused by invading pathogens that breach our bodily boundaries. The fascinating antagonism between infection and wound repair is central to the pathology of many diseases, including Staphylococcus aureus infections and chronic non-healing wounds. By untangling the dynamic interactions between host and pathogen, we aim to uncover new ways to combat these conditions.