The context of molecular and cellular function in normal and diseased states is altered due to changes in the tissue microenvironment. Cellular function studied independently of the primary microenvironment may incompletely report molecular events critical to disease progression. Mentors within this team examine complex microenvironment as a component of the disease process. Their specific foci include host-microbe interaction in the context of tissue-specific inflammation; novel imaging technologies to probe disease progression in intact organisms; and stromal and epithelial cell interactions, crosstalk mechanisms, reconstitution of physiologically optimal microenvironment composition and organization, and accurate cellular retention of primary phenotypic responses in vitro. This team has internal synergy and adds novel mechanistic strength to the other teams.
