Decoding Cellular Circuits in Intestinal Regeneration and Tumorigenesis.
Event Details
- Type
- Friday Lecture Series
- Speaker(s)
-
Eduardo Villablanca, Ph.D., professor, Karolinska Institutet
- Speaker bio(s)
-
This presentation explores the integral cellular network constituting the intestinal barrier's significance in health maintenance and disease prevention. Dr. VIllablanca will discuss his lab's competencies in experimental immunology, systems immunology, ex vivo organoid co-culture, and translational research. They aim to identify and validate cell and molecular mechanisms influencing intestinal tissue regeneration following injury. The focal point lies in elucidating the crosstalk between immune cells and stromal cells, crucial players in modulating intestinal barrier regeneration and function. Additionally, the lab delves into the application of spatial transcriptomics (ST), highlighting its remarkable efficacy in unraveling molecular intricacies during colonic tissue mucosal healing. Dr. Villablanca's talk will deliver a better understanding of the cellular dynamics in the intestinal barrier, providing valuable insights for potential therapeutic interventions and personalized medicine strategies in the context of mucosal healing and disease.
Professor Villablanca, initially a developmental biologist specializing in cell migration using zebrafish, transitioned to immunology during his doctoral studies in Milan. Focused on intestinal leukocyte trafficking, he trained at Harvard Medical School (HMS) as Mucosal Immunologist under the supervision of Dr. Rodrigo Mora. Later he became an Instructor in Medicine (HMS) in Ramnik Xavier’s lab where he investigated Inflammatory Bowel Disease risk genes. In 2014, he established his own laboratory at Karolinska Institute, Sweden, blending systems immunology, developmental biology, and mucosal immunology. His research centers on understanding mechanisms maintaining intestinal homeostasis and the implications of their failure in disease, such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC).
- Open to
- Tri-Institutional