By using genetically engineered mouse models together with advanced experimental technologies, our laboratory aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying disease development. Our research focuses on obesity-associated disorders, particularly those affecting the digestive system—such as liver and intestinal diseases—and their progression towards malignancy. Another central aspect of our work is investigating the complex crosstalk between the nervous and immune systems in cancer development, within the emerging field of cancer neuroscience. A distinctive feature of our approach is the integration of developmental biology into disease studies, providing mechanistic insights into the origins of disease and the processes driving progression, thereby bridging early developmental programmes with adult pathophysiology. By combining in vivo models with advanced cellular, molecular, and genomic approaches, we aim to uncover mechanistic insights that can guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies and preventive interventions, including approaches to enhance immunotherapy for cancers resistant to current treatments.
Our research is anchored in the pioneering discovery made in our laboratory of URI as a principal oncogene regulated by environmental factors. Leveraging genetically engineered mouse models for both gain- and loss-of-function studies, we have devoted significant effort to the following research themes: cancer biology, tissue regeneration and repair; inflammatory processes and immune modulation; early embryonic development and developmental disorders; structure and function of the URI prefoldin-like complex; and metabolic dysregulation and obesity-related mechanisms.
Together, these interconnected research themes position our laboratory to uncover fundamental mechanisms linking development, metabolism, regeneration, and cancer, with translational potential for the development of novel therapies.
Open Access