People

The Barber Lab addresses questions on the fundamental cell biology of epithelial plasticity to understand dysregulated functions in human diseases. Our primary focus on how pHi dynamics regulates cancer cell behaviors such as migration and metabolic reprogramming and stem cell behaviors and lineage specification bridges protein electrostatics with cell biology, revealing protonation as a post-translational modification regulating protein conformations and functions.

The Bieri Lab studies how the brain vasculature can be targeted to maintain and restore brain function in aging and neurodegeneration. Exercise rejuvenates the aging brain partly through circulating blood factors, called exerkines, that act on the blood-brain barrier. Using mouse models together with human iPSC-derived vascular organoid and microfluidics platforms, we investigate how peripheral signals communicate with the brain vasculature during exercise. Our goal is to find vascular targets that can be used to protect and maintain brain health.

The Bush lab studies basic mechanisms by which signaling between cells coordinates mammalian morphogenesis. Understanding this control has significance beyond its fundamental importance in development since birth defects are the leading cause of death for infants during the first year of life. We utilize multiple approaches based in mouse genetics to understand fundamental signaling processes as they relate to development and disease with particular foci in the craniofacial and respiratory systems.

The Chang Lab studies cell morphogenesis and cell division. We are interested in fundamental questions concerning spatial organization within a single cell: How do cellular components organize to form cells of a specific size and shape? How might cells sense their own shape and size? Topics include: cytokinesis, placement of the cell division plane, cell polarity, dynamics of microtubules and actin, biomechanics of cell morphogenesis, and sensing of cell shape and size.

The Choksi Lab studies how airway stem cells differentiate to build and maintain the respiratory epithelium. We focus on multiciliated cells - specialized epithelial cells that protect the lung by clearing inhaled pathogens. By combining mouse genetics, single-cell technologies, and imaging-based approaches, we aim to uncover novel principles underlying multiciliated cell differentiation. Our long-term goal is to identify new therapeutic strategies for restoring cellular function in respiratory disease.

The Goga Lab seeks to understand how specific oncogenes alter the cell cycle, miRNA and metabolic signaling pathways to drive tumorigenesis. We study how cancer signaling pathways are activated in breast and liver cancers and hematopoietic malignancies, amongst the most prevalent and deadly forms of human cancer. We are particularly focused on the MYC oncogene, the downstream pathways it activates, and synthetic-lethal strategies to target MYC overexpressing cancers.

The Gong lab studies how cell polarity controls the dynamic processes that drive tissue development, homeostasis, and regeneration. Our work uncovers fundamental principles of polarity that integrate signaling pathways with organelle organization. By harnessing this knowledge, we aim to engineer cells to guide development and combat disease. Currently, we are focusing on a novel form of structural polarity, which we term ER–PM contacts–dependent polarity.

The Hutchins Lab seeks to map how post-transcriptional regulation controls developmental pluripotency and cell fate decisions in vivo, using vertebrate neural crest as a model. Neural crest cells are an essential stem cell population in the vertebrate embryo. Dysregulated post-transcriptional regulatory linkages in neural crest can lead to congenital malformations and cancer in humans, and a thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying these fundamental processes can provide new therapeutic targets for biomedical intervention.

Dr. Joyce is a teaching faculty with a joint appointment in the School of Medicine.  She co-directs first and second year Dental school courses in anatomy and physiology (BMS 116, 118, and 126) with Dr. Barbie Klein and directs BMS 117, which is focused on infectious disease and immunology. Dr. Joyce is passionate about health professions education and is a member of the Academy of Medical Educators. 

The Klefström Lab investigates how oncogene-driven cancers acquire targetable vulnerabilities for precision therapy. Our research focuses on MYC-driven metabolic dependencies, particularly on mitochondrial function, as therapeutic opportunities in aggressive breast cancers and other refractory tumors. We develop pharmacological and combinatorial strategies to target these liabilities, including approaches that enhance anti-tumor immunity.

Dr. Barbie Klein, MS, PhD, is an Assistant Professor with joint appointments in the School of Dentistry and the School of Medicine. Dr. Klein teaches gross anatomy, human embryology, histology, and neuroanatomy to health professional students and continuing education healthcare learners. She is the anatomy and embryology Discipline Director for second-year medical student courses and Co-Director with Dr. Joyce of the Biomedical Sciences curriculum for dental students.

The Knox Lab is concerned with analyzing the cellular and molecular events underlying the formation of epithelial organs (organogenesis) and their regeneration after injury. We employ multiple tissues (e.g. salivary gland, pancreas, ocular organs) to test three fundamental biological questions: 1) how do peripheral nerves impact epithelial stem cell fate decisions; 2) what are the mechanisms by which neuronal signals pattern organ architecture; and 3) how do immune cells modulate nerve-mediated morphogenesis, repair and regeneration.