Research Interests
Current Research Interests
My lab utilizes complementary approaches, including genetically engineered mouse models, single-cell sequencing, and organoids, to study:
- Critical signaling pathways that regulate the reprogramming and regeneration of intestinal and oral epithelium following acute radiation injury
- Mechanisms of radiation-induced fibrosis in the intestines and the heart
By understanding the fundamental mechanisms, we aim to develop novel medical countermeasures and predictive biomarkers for radiation-induced normal tissue injury.
Ongoing Projects
- Radioprotective effect of p53 against oral mucositis (R01DE033404)
- Mitigation of gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome by promoting clusterin-mediated intestinal regeneration (U01AI186969)
- Epigenetic mechanisms of intestinal stem cell fate conversion in response to severe radiation injury (collaboration with Dr. Christine Eyler) (R21AI193496)
- Sex differences in delayed development of gastrointestinal fibrosis after acute radiation exposure (collaboration with Dr. Jatin Roper) (U01AI183940)
- Serum pro-N-cadherin as an early biomarker of radiation-induced heart disease (collaboration with Drs. Salvatore Pizzo, Manisha Palta, and Christopher Kelsey) (U01AI189426)
Selected Grants
Serum pro-N-cadherin as an early biomarker of radiation-induced heart disease
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2030Mitigation of gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome by promoting clusterin-mediated intestinal regeneration
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 2024 - 2029Radioprotective effect of p53 against oral mucositis
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research · 2023 - 2028Epigenetic mechanisms of intestinal stem cell fate conversion in response to severe radiation injury
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2027Sex differences in delayed development of gastrointestinal fibrosis after acute radiation exposure
ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 2024 - 2027The impact of a synbiotic product comprising B. infantis and HMO in a mouse model of irradiation
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Prolacta Bioscience, Inc. · 2023 - 2024Translational Studies in FLASH Particle Radiotherapy
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Pennsylvania · 2022 - 2024Mitigating the gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome by activating Yap1
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2021 - 2023Cabinet Radiation Therapy System for Small Animals
EquipmentMajor User · Awarded by North Carolina Biotechnology Center · 2022 - 2023Inhibition of CaMKK2 sensitizes rectal cancers to radiation therapy
ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2022Minimizing the risk of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms by inhibiting genotoxic stress-induced expansion of leukemia-initiating cells
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2022Image-Guided Radiation Therapy System for Small Animals
EquipmentMajor User · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2022Dissecting mechanism(s) by which ionizing radiation promotes clonal expansion of premalignant cells in the thymus
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2020Mitigating the gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome by blocking calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2019 - 2020Treatment of gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome with activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2019 - 2020Development of CaMKK2 inhibitor drug for acute radiation syndrome
ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2018 - 2020Dissecting mechanism(s) by which ionizing radiation promotes clonal expansion of premalignant cells in the thymus
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2016 - 2018Fellowships, Gifts, and Supported Research
The effect of RAD-100 on a murine model of radiation dermatitis ·
January 2021
- January 2022
Principal Investigator ·
Awarded by: Rythera Therapeutics, Inc
Determining the impact of thrombopoietin mimetic (TPOm) on the response of human prostate tumors to radiation therapy ·
November 2019
- September 2020
Principal Investigator ·
Awarded by: Janssen Research & Development, LLC
Increasing the therapeutic ratio of pelvic radiotherapy for rectal cancer by blocking calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 ·
July 2019
- June 2020
Awarded by: Duke Cancer Institute