January 2010 Newsletter

Soundarapandian Vijayakumar, Ph.D.

The Vijayakumar laboratory focuses on the role of a multifunctional, multidomain extracellular matrix protein called hensin in epithelial differentiation. Hensin and its orthologs such as DMBT1 and Gp-340 have been implicated in tumor suppression and innate immune defense. They have established the role of hensin in epithelial differentiation. Additionally, the lab is establishing a new research program to investigate how cyst growth begins in a form of polycystic kidney disease that affects children.