The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is unique among organs because it has its own intrinsic nervous system that can function quite independently to regulate a wide variety of digestive and metabolic functions. This enteric nervous system (ENS) is a large and complex component of the gut-brain axis, yet among the most poorly understood. The overarching goal of our lab is to determine how cells in the ENS regulate important gut functions, from absorbing nutrients to fighting infections. Our work is driven by the conviction that advancing the fundamental understanding of enteric neurobiology will reveal how this part of the nervous system contributes to human disease.

Using basic and translational approaches, we investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which neurons, glia and specialized epithelial cells in the gut transduce information and communicate with each other to modulate key autonomic behaviors, including gastrointestinal motility, gut hormone release and innate immune responses.  We aim to learn fundamental principles about how the nervous, immune and endocrine systems interact with each to regulate organ function, and in turn, how disruption in these interactions might give rise to disease. We use mouse genetic models, imaging of live and fixed tissues, as well as a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo assays to delineate molecular and cellular circuits important for digestive biology. We benefit from strong collaborations with clinicians that enable us to translate our scientific discoveries at the bench to meaningful advances in the diagnosis and treatment of human disease.