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Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology (VCSCB)

Eunyoung Choi, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Surgery
Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology

Research Description

My major goal is to elucidate the biological mechanisms of cell lineage conversion and evolution during the malignant transformation of pre-cancerous cells.  Epithelial cancers in the gastrointestinal tract most commonly develop within a carcinogenic cascade from pre-cancerous metaplasia to dysplasia and then adenocarcinoma.  However, it is hard to clearly define stem cell hierarchy or functions in adenocarcinoma due to complex heterogeneity and diverse stem cell populations.  My group has reconceptualized de novo phenomena and early features of carcinogenesis by defining dysplastic cells as epithelial cancer-initiating cells.  I have pioneered a unique model design both in vitro and in vivo, to study pre-cancerous cell biology.  This methodological advancement has provided us with opportunities to understand dynamic cellular and clonal activities in pre-cancerous cell lineage evolution at single cell level.  We are currently focusing on determining the molecular hierarchy based on metabolic and genetic status determining stem cell fates in cells during carcinogenesis.  We are also interested in stem cell functions during the regeneration of epithelial mucosa with damage or pre-cancerous lesions.

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