Our research program consists of two lines of investigation whose paths cross one another constantly.

At one level, we are studying the development, differentiation, and homeostasis of complex epithelia. Our main model tissue for this purpose is the skin, but the genes and proteins that we investigate often bring us to study other epithelia (e.g., oral mucosa, upper digestive tract, cornea). We are most interested in how epithelial cells acquire the cytoarchitecture that best assists the function(s) they serve in the tissue they are part of. Fruitful contexts for this research include embryonic skin development, the self renewal of skin structures such as epidermis and hair, the response of adult skin to injury, and disease pathogenesis.

At another level, we are studying the properties and functions of keratin intermediate filaments. Keratins are the major structural proteins in epithelial cells, and are encoded by a group of > 40 genes which are individually regulated in a tissue type- and differentiation-specific manner within epithelia. The regulation of individual genes and the primary structure of the proteins they encode are conserved throughout mammals, raising the prospect of a functionally significant relationship between keratins and the function of epithelial tissues. Given this setting we are seeking to define, at a molecular level, how keratin proteins impact upon the structure, properties and function of epithelial cells.

How do we pursue these objectives at a practical level ? As can be inferred from our list of publications, our activities range from the manipulation of specific genes in mice, and the assessment of its consequences for the relevant population of epithelial cells in vivo and ex vivo, to the biochemical and biophysical characterization of keratin filaments in vitro.

Ongoing Research Projects >>