What are we curious about?
Replicating complex human biology.
Remarkable advances in human-on-a-chip technology and systems biology have opened up new possibilities to study human-specific biology and diseases. We are utilizing this progress to “humanize” medical research and develop approaches to mimic facets of complex multiorgan physiology and systemic immunology.
Tissue homeostasis and regeneration.
Our early studies of ex-vivo multiorgan interactions show intriguing differences in their behavior and regeneration when kept in isolation or in communication with other tissues. We are interested to identify mediators responsible for this increased life-like behavior of various organ systems and contributors to their homeostasis.
Immunometabolism in health and disease.
We are passionate about understanding how fundamental disruption in tissue-tissue and tissue-immune crosstalk leads to the early emergence of autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Diease, diseases of the liver and Parkinson’s disease. These remain some of the biggest challenges of our time.
Humanness and the pursuit of life
What does it mean biologically to be human and where does humanness start? As we are advancing human biomimetics and human-machine integration, these questions are as relevant as ever. We hope to contribute new theoretical concepts to the evolving notion of what biological life and being human means today and in the future.
