We are working to understand fundamentals of the innate and adaptive immune responses to tissue damage and biomaterials in multiple model systems.
RESEARCH
Using new understanding of the immune response to tissue damage, biomaterials and even aging, we are developing regenerative immunotherapies. Stimulating the “right” immune profile and removing inhibitory factors that are blocking repair, we will be able to promote tissue repair in even the harshest environments.
Senescent cells accumulate with aging and are implicated in age-related chronic diseases. However, they are also a critical component of normal development and wound healing. We are working to understand senescent cells in the context of tissue repair and how they interact with the immune system to promote or inhibit tissue repair. Ultimately, new approaches and technologies are needed to specifically target tissue repair in aging.
The groundbreaking discoveries in cancer immunology present unique opportunities to compare the wound and tumor environments.