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Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology (VCSCB)

Ken Lau, Ph.D.

Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Associate Professor of Surgery

Research Description

The central goal of the Lau Lab is to understand how microenvironmental factors, including stromal/immune cells and microbiota, affect epithelial cell behaviors in the context of an inflammatory environment in the gut. Epithelial cells can differentiate, exhibit plasticity (reversion to stemness – dedifferentiation or transition to non-native states – metaplasia), undergo cell death, and alter their turnover when exposed to different environmental cues. Changes to these behaviors in diseases lead to aberrant tissue structure and function.  Our laboratory utilizes high content, single-cell and spatial experimental techniques in conjunction with computational tools to interrogate organoids, mouse models, and human specimens. We vertically integrate technological development, algorithm development, and derivation of biological insights from large datasets in order to make translatable advances to Inflammatory Bowel Disease and colorectal cancer.

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