Research
Role of telomerase RNA processing in hematopoietic development and cancer
Our research seeks to understand how mutations in telomerase lead to bone marrow failure and blood cancer. To overcome the limitations of existing models, we develop human stem cell–based systems that allow us to generate blood-forming cells and study these processes in a physiologically relevant context.
Using this platform, we investigate how key RNA processing components involved in cellular maintenance are produced, processed, and regulated within blood cells, and how disruptions in these pathways impair cell survival and function. Our work has uncovered previously unrecognized mechanisms controlling the stability and movement telomerase RNA within cells, as well as unexpected roles for these molecules beyond their traditional functions.
Together, these studies aim to reveal fundamental pathways underlying bone marrow failure and hematopoietic cancer in patient, and to identify new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Regulation of non-coding RNA in blood formation and disease
Our research aims to understand how non-coding RNA molecules control blood formation and how disruptions in their processing lead to disease. We investigate how the stability and degradation of these RNA molecules are precisely regulated, and how errors in these processes impair the production and function of specific blood cell types.
Our work has revealed that fine-tuned control of RNA processing is essential for maintaining proper gene regulation during blood development, and that restoring these pathways can improve cellular function. Ultimately, these studies seek to uncover fundamental principles of gene regulation in blood formation and to identify new strategies for treating disorders caused by defects in RNA processing.
The role of telomere shortening and DNA damage in liver cancer
We are focused in understanding how telomere shortening contributes to liver disease and cancer. Because these processes are difficult to study in human systems, we develop different stem cell–based models that allow us to generate and analyze liver cell types under controlled conditions of cellular stress and aging. Using these approaches, we investigate how damaged cells trigger cancer-related responses and influence neighboring cells within the liver, ultimately leading to tissue dysfunction.
We also study how common genetic changes found in liver cancer may enable damaged cells to regain growth capacity and progress toward malignancy. Together, our work aims to uncover the fundamental mechanisms linking cellular damage to liver failure and cancer, with the long-term goal of identifying new therapeutic strategies.