Capturing principles of tissue dynamics and function by live imaging

My lab is fascinated by how different cell behaviors are coordinated to maintain tissue function under homeostatic conditions as well as how they are altered to adapt to challenges like injury and cancer. To this end we have established an approach to visualize and manipulate stem cells and their niche in the skin of an intact, uninjured mouse. Our real time in vivo imaging of skin epithelium has allowed us to capture a number of basic principles of regeneration including that location dictates stem cell fate, that specialized stem cells are dispensable for tissue growth while the niche is required, and that tissue correction preserves homeostasis.