Approximately 37 trillion cells in our body constantly receive cues from extracellular environments and respond by changing cytoskeletal organization and cellular functions as well as initiating transcriptional program, thereby maintaining homeostasis. To understand the interactions between cells and extracellular microenvironments is a key to unravel survival strategies of living organisms.
Our laboratory aims to molecularly dissect cellular responses to alterations of extracellular environments and to find a potential link to dysfunction of tissues, focusing on blood vessel cells (endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts) and tissue stem cells. In addition, we are expanding our long-standing interest in extra cellar matrix (ECM) research and collaborating with researchers in the next generation imaging, bioengineering, and glycotechnology to develop new diagnostic and/or therapeutic tools.