In my lab we use molecular and genome-scale approaches to gain insight into normal physiology and disease etiology, primarily in the digestive system (gastrointestinal tract, liver, and pancreas).  We are particularly interested in defining gene regulatory mechanisms that control liver and gut biology and disease.  Active projects in the lab have spanned both basic science (e.g., microRNA control of lineage allocation in the gut epithelium) and translational science (with a focus on diseases of the digestive system such as diabetes, Crohn’s, and fibrolamellar carcinoma).  Our lab members have training and expertise in a diverse array of disciplines, including physiology, functional genomics, gene regulation, non-coding RNAs, bioinformatics, gut mucosal biology, molecular biology, and cancer biology.  Another important aspect of our research program is systems genetics, linking genetic variants to molecular pathways to phenotypes.

We are always on the lookout for motivated trainees and staff scientists with interests in one or more of several diverse areas of study, including gene regulation; regulatory RNAs; bioinformatics; molecular genetics; transgenic mouse models; metabolic disease; and liver & GI biology/physiology, stem cell behavior, and cancer.

We are indebted to our collaborators, colleagues, and funding sources, without whom we could not efficiently tackle what we believe are incredibly interesting and important problems in biomedicine.

The major areas of current research in the lab are:

• Genome-scale approaches to discover novel oncogenic pathways and therapeutic vulnerabilities in fibrolamellar carcinoma.
• Contribution of microRNAs to lineage allocation and function in the gut epithelium.
• Genetic, molecular, and environmental control of the gut epithelium, most notably Paneth cells.
• The roles of microRNAs as candidate molecular drivers and prognostic indicators of human and canine IBD.

Our research has been supported by grants from a diverse set of funding sources, including the National Institutes of Health, the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.  Our goal is to discover novel mechanisms in physiology and disease, primarily GI-related, advancing basic science and opening up new avenues for the development of effective therapeutics.

Key Active Collaborators

Dr. Toly Aydemir, Cornell University, Nutrition
Dr. Joeva Barrow, Cornell, Nutrition
Dr. Sudha Biddinger, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Nicolas Buchon, Cornell University, Entomology
Dr. Francis Collins, NIH, NHGRI
Dr. Charles Danko, Cornell University, Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Iwijn De Vlaminck, Cornell, Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh, UNC Chapel Hill, Neuroscience
Dr. Anushka Dongre, Cornell, Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Terry Furey, UNC Chapel Hill, Genetics
Dr. Taran Gujral, Fred Hutch, Human Biology
Dr. Santiago Peralta, Cornell, Clinical Sciences
Dr. Venu Pillarisetty, University of Washington, Surgery
Dr. Priya Rajasethupathy, Rockefeller, Neuroscience
Dr. Sean Ronnekleiv-Kelly, UW Madison, Cancer Center
Dr. Darleen Sandoval, University of Colorado, Pediatrics
Dr. John Scott, University of Washington, Pharmacology
Dr. Anath Shalev, UAB, Medicine
Dr. Shehzad Sheikh, UNC Chapel Hill, Medicine
Dr. Kenny Simpson, Cornell, Clinical Sciences
Dr. Jason Spence, University of Michigan, Cell & Developmental Biology
Dr. Mirek Styblo, UNC Chapel Hill, Nutrition
Dr. Elia Tait-Wojno, University of Washington, Immunology
Dr. Khashayar Vakili, Boston Children’s, Oncology
Dr. Philip White, Duke University, Medicine
Dr. Mark Yarchoan, Johns Hopkins, Oncology