My research is on the cellular and molecular processes that regulate the regeneration of amphibian limbs.
Current specific projects in my laboratory are (1) identifying the contributions of reserve stem cells and stem cells derived by dedifferentiation to the regeneration blastema; (2) elucidation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which morphological patterning is specified in the proximodistal axis of the regenerating limb; (3) genomic and proteomic analyses of the molecular differences between regeneration-competent limbs of urodele amphibians and regeneration-deficient anuran amphibians; and (4) the use of natural regenerative signals to improve the regeneration of regeneration-deficient anuran limbs. The ultimate goal of this research is to translate our findings into pharmaceutical regenerative medicine therapies that restore structure and function to damaged human tissues and organs that are regeneration-deficient or are incapable of regeneration.
