Adult tissue homeostasis is a continuous, dynamic process that is must be tightly regulated by proper cellular responses to external stimuli to maintain tissue integrity. Identification of the specific mechanisms that facilitate appropriate cellular responses is crucial to understanding how cells maintain homeostasis, or importantly, how failure to do so can lead to tissue degeneration and injury. The overall goal of our research is to identify the signaling pathways and mechanisms that govern homeostasis in mechanically active tissues.

We are particularly interested in how altered cell-cell communications affect cell fate in the context of tendon pathology and adaptation. The ultimate goal of this research is the identification of cell-type specific therapeutic targets for intervention that will ultimately result in improved healing outcomes for tendinopathies either by halting tissue degeneration, promoting regeneration of the native tendon matrix, or through the creation of more bio-identical tissue engineered replacements.