Research Overview

Research in the lab aims to understand how the intestinal epithelium senses and interacts with its surroundings and how epithelial membrane channels and transporters contribute to immune function, host-microbial symbiosis, and cellular metabolism. Research projects in the lab use a variety of approaches and span several aspects of intestinal physiology and disease, including both basic science and translational research.

Specific projects include:

  • The role of hydrogen peroxide in epithelial cell pattern recognition receptor signaling
  • Developing therapies for Microvillus Inclusion Disease
  • The role of TTC7A in epithelial lumen formation

 

Education

Medical School

St. George's University of London
2009 London England

Residency

Massachusetts General Hospital
2013 Boston MA

Fellowship

Boston Children's Hospital
2016 Boston MA

Publications

  1. Tiptoeing in From the Fatty Fringes: Mechanosensitive Fibroblasts and Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. 2026 Apr; 170(4):844-845. View Abstract
  2. Autoantibody signatures in children with celiac disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and polyautoimmunity. JPGN Rep. 2026 Feb; 7(1):118-126. View Abstract
  3. Regulation of inflammatory responses by pH-dependent transcriptional condensates. Cell. 2025 Oct 02; 188(20):5632-5652.e25. View Abstract
  4. SPECTREPlex: an automated, fast, high-resolution enabled approach for multiplexed cyclic imaging and tissue spatial analysis. Commun Biol. 2025 Apr 19; 8(1):636. View Abstract
  5. Advancing precision care in pregnancy through a treatable fetal findings list. Am J Hum Genet. 2025 Jun 05; 112(6):1251-1269. View Abstract
  6. The Genetic Architecture of Congenital Diarrhea and Enteropathy. N Engl J Med. 2025 Apr 03; 392(13):1297-1309. View Abstract
  7. Stretch and Flex: Mechanosensing and Stem Cells. Gastroenterology. 2025 Jul; 169(1):171. View Abstract
  8. Neutrophil-derived vesicles control complement activation to facilitate inflammation resolution. Cell. 2025 Mar 20; 188(6):1623-1641.e26. View Abstract
  9. Hospital-wide access to genomic data advanced pediatric rare disease research and clinical outcomes. NPJ Genom Med. 2024 Dec 02; 9(1):60. View Abstract
  10. Type III interferons induce pyroptosis in gut epithelial cells and impair mucosal repair. Cell. 2024 Dec 26; 187(26):7533-7550.e23. View Abstract
  11. Overcoming problematic growth phenotypes in organoids from patients with monogenic GI disease. PLoS One. 2024; 19(11):e0309072. View Abstract
  12. ViCE: An automated and quantitative program to assess intestinal tissue morphology. J Pathol Inform. 2024 Dec; 15:100397. View Abstract
  13. A MERFISHing Expedition for Colitis. Gastroenterology. 2024 Nov; 167(6):1239-1240. View Abstract
  14. Diet management in congenital diarrheas and enteropathies - general concepts and disease-specific approach, a narrative review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 07; 120(1):17-33. View Abstract
  15. Bacterial Sphingolipids Exacerbate Colitis by Inhibiting ILC3-derived IL-22 Production. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024; 18(2):101350. View Abstract
  16. WNT2B Deficiency Causes Enhanced Susceptibility to Colitis Due to Increased Inflammatory Cytokine Production. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024; 18(2):101349. View Abstract
  17. Modeling the cell biology of monogenetic intestinal epithelial disorders. J Cell Biol. 2024 07 01; 223(7). View Abstract
  18. Holding Back the Tide: Interferon-gamma to the Rescue. Gastroenterology. 2024 06; 166(6):1191-1192. View Abstract
  19. Patient-derived enteroids provide a platform for the development of therapeutic approaches in microvillus inclusion disease. J Clin Invest. 2023 10 16; 133(20). View Abstract
  20. Intermittent Feasting: Dampening Our Gut Immune Spirits. Gastroenterology. 2024 01; 166(1):212. View Abstract
  21. A Roadmap for the Human Gut Cell Atlas. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 09; 20(9):597-614. View Abstract
  22. Perspectives of Rare Disease Experts on Newborn Genome Sequencing. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 05 01; 6(5):e2312231. View Abstract
  23. WNT2B Deficiency Causes Increased Susceptibility to Colitis in Mice and Impairs Intestinal Epithelial Development in Humans. bioRxiv. 2023 Apr 22. View Abstract
  24. Therapy Development for Microvillus Inclusion Disease using Patient-derived Enteroids. bioRxiv. 2023 Jan 29. View Abstract
  25. Gasdermin D pore-forming activity is redox-sensitive. Cell Rep. 2023 01 31; 42(1):112008. View Abstract
  26. The Immune Ghosts of Pandemics Past. Gastroenterology. 2023 04; 164(4):696. View Abstract
  27. The genetics of monogenic intestinal epithelial disorders. Hum Genet. 2023 May; 142(5):613-654. View Abstract
  28. Nociceptor neurons direct goblet cells via a CGRP-RAMP1 axis to drive mucus production and gut barrier protection. Cell. 2022 10 27; 185(22):4190-4205.e25. View Abstract
  29. The epithelial-specific ER stress sensor ERN2/IRE1ß enables host-microbiota crosstalk to affect colon goblet cell development. J Clin Invest. 2022 09 01; 132(17). View Abstract
  30. Disrupting Polarized Trafficking in Intestinal Epithelial Cells: Insights From a Novel Congenital Enteropathy Gene. Gastroenterology. 2022 09; 163(3):777. View Abstract
  31. Membrane Lipids in Epithelial Polarity: Sorting out the PIPs. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022; 10:893960. View Abstract
  32. Pediatric Gastrointestinal Histopathology in Patients With Tetratricopeptide Repeat Domain 7A (TTC7A) Germline Mutations: A Rare Condition Leading to Multiple Intestinal Atresias, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, and Congenital Enteropathy. Am J Surg Pathol. 2022 06 01; 46(6):846-853. View Abstract
  33. Minimally Invasive Image-Guided Gut Transport Function Measurement Probe. Front Phys. 2021 Sep; 9. View Abstract
  34. Control of gasdermin D oligomerization and pyroptosis by the Ragulator-Rag-mTORC1 pathway. Cell. 2021 08 19; 184(17):4495-4511.e19. View Abstract
  35. Pycro-Manager: open-source software for customized and reproducible microscope control. Nat Methods. 2021 03; 18(3):226-228. View Abstract
  36. Novel variants in the stem cell niche factor WNT2B define the disease phenotype as a congenital enteropathy with ocular dysgenesis. Eur J Hum Genet. 2021 06; 29(6):998-1007. View Abstract
  37. Extracellular cyclic dinucleotides induce polarized responses in barrier epithelial cells by adenosine signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 11 03; 117(44):27502-27508. View Abstract
  38. NOX1 Regulates Collective and Planktonic Cell Migration: Insights From Patients With Pediatric-Onset IBD and NOX1 Deficiency. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2020 07 17; 26(8):1166-1176. View Abstract
  39. IRE1ß negatively regulates IRE1a signaling in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. J Cell Biol. 2020 Feb 03; 219(2). View Abstract
  40. A quantitative single-cell assay for retrograde membrane traffic enables rapid detection of defects in cellular organization. Mol Biol Cell. 2020 03 19; 31(7):511-519. View Abstract
  41. Drug Screen Identifies Leflunomide for Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Caused by TTC7A Deficiency. Gastroenterology. 2020 03; 158(4):1000-1015. View Abstract
  42. Intestinal epithelial potassium channels and CFTR chloride channels activated in ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor diarrhea. JCI Insight. 2019 02 21; 4(4). View Abstract
  43. An Intravenous Fish Oil-Based Lipid Emulsion Successfully Treats Intractable Pruritus and Cholestasis in a Patient with Microvillous Inclusion Disease. Hepatology. 2019 03; 69(3):1353-1356. View Abstract
  44. INAVA-ARNO complexes bridge mucosal barrier function with inflammatory signaling. Elife. 2018 10 25; 7. View Abstract
  45. Neonatal-Onset Chronic Diarrhea Caused by Homozygous Nonsense WNT2B Mutations. Am J Hum Genet. 2018 07 05; 103(1):131-137. View Abstract
  46. Advances in Evaluation of Chronic Diarrhea in Infants. Gastroenterology. 2018 Jun; 154(8):2045-2059.e6. View Abstract
  47. Aquaporin-3 mediates hydrogen peroxide-dependent responses to environmental stress in colonic epithelia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 01 17; 114(3):568-573. View Abstract
  48. The focal adhesion-associated proteins DOCK5 and GIT2 comprise a rheostat in control of epithelial invasion. Oncogene. 2017 03 30; 36(13):1816-1828. View Abstract
  49. Microbial sphingomyelinase induces RhoA-mediated reorganization of the apical brush border membrane and is protective against invasion. Mol Biol Cell. 2016 Apr 01; 27(7):1120-30. View Abstract
  50. CFTR activator increases intestinal fluid secretion and normalizes stool output in a mouse model of constipation. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016 May; 2(3):317-327. View Abstract
  51. Secretory diarrhoea: mechanisms and emerging therapies. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015 Aug; 12(8):446-57. View Abstract
  52. Congenital chloride-losing diarrhea in a Mexican child with the novel homozygous SLC26A3 mutation G393W. Front Physiol. 2015; 6:179. View Abstract
  53. Altered goblet cell differentiation and surface mucus properties in Hirschsprung disease. PLoS One. 2014; 9(6):e99944. View Abstract
  54. Discovery and development of antisecretory drugs for treating diarrheal diseases. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014 Feb; 12(2):204-9. View Abstract
  55. Chloride channel inhibition by a red wine extract and a synthetic small molecule prevents rotaviral secretory diarrhoea in neonatal mice. Gut. 2014 Jul; 63(7):1120-9. View Abstract
  56. Chloride channel-targeted therapy for secretory diarrheas. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2013 Dec; 13(6):888-94. View Abstract
  57. Response to "Diffusion versus convection". J Gen Physiol. 2013 Aug; 142(2):173. View Abstract
  58. Convective washout reduces the antidiarrheal efficacy of enterocyte surface-targeted antisecretory drugs. J Gen Physiol. 2013 Feb; 141(2):261-72. View Abstract
  59. CFTR inhibitors. Curr Pharm Des. 2013; 19(19):3529-41. View Abstract
  60. CFTR inhibitors for treating diarrheal disease. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2012 Sep; 92(3):287-90. View Abstract
  61. Airway surface liquid depth imaged by surface laser reflectance microscopy. J Gen Physiol. 2010 Sep; 136(3):353-62. View Abstract
  62. Inhibition of Ca2+-activated Cl- channels by gallotannins as a possible molecular basis for health benefits of red wine and green tea. FASEB J. 2010 Nov; 24(11):4178-86. View Abstract
  63. Impaired enterocyte proliferation in aquaporin-3 deficiency in mouse models of colitis. Gut. 2007 Nov; 56(11):1529-35. View Abstract
  64. Slowed diffusion in tumors revealed by microfiberoptic epifluorescence photobleaching. Nat Methods. 2006 Apr; 3(4):275-80. View Abstract
  65. Noninvasive early detection of brain edema in mice by near-infrared light scattering. J Neurosci Res. 2005 Apr 15; 80(2):293-9. View Abstract
  66. New drug targets for cholera therapy. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2005 Apr; 26(4):172-5. View Abstract
  67. Submucosal gland dysfunction as a primary defect in cystic fibrosis. FASEB J. 2005 Mar; 19(3):431-3. View Abstract
  68. A small molecule CFTR inhibitor produces cystic fibrosis-like submucosal gland fluid secretions in normal airways. FASEB J. 2004 May; 18(7):875-7. View Abstract
  69. Prevention of toxin-induced intestinal ion and fluid secretion by a small-molecule CFTR inhibitor. Gastroenterology. 2004 Feb; 126(2):511-9. View Abstract
  70. CFTR pharmacology and its role in intestinal fluid secretion. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2003 Dec; 3(6):594-9. View Abstract
  71. Sodium and chloride concentrations, pH, and depth of airway surface liquid in distal airways. J Gen Physiol. 2003 Nov; 122(5):511-9. View Abstract
  72. Role of airway surface liquid and submucosal glands in cystic fibrosis lung disease. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2003 Jan; 284(1):C2-15. View Abstract
  73. Thiazolidinone CFTR inhibitor identified by high-throughput screening blocks cholera toxin-induced intestinal fluid secretion. J Clin Invest. 2002 Dec; 110(11):1651-8. View Abstract
  74. Progesterone stimulation of fluid absorption by the rat uterine gland. Reproduction. 2002 May; 123(5):633-8. View Abstract
  75. Aquaporin deletion in mice reduces corneal water permeability and delays restoration of transparency after swelling. J Biol Chem. 2002 May 24; 277(21):19139-44. View Abstract
  76. Evidence for modulation of pericryptal sheath myofibroblasts in rat descending colon by transforming growth factor beta and angiotensin II. BMC Gastroenterol. 2002; 2:4. View Abstract
  77. Chloride concentration in endosomes measured using a ratioable fluorescent Cl- indicator: evidence for chloride accumulation during acidification. J Biol Chem. 2002 Feb 15; 277(7):5506-13. View Abstract
  78. In vivo fluorescence measurement of Na(+) concentration in the pericryptal space of mouse descending colon. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2001 Dec; 281(6):C1898-903. View Abstract
  79. Evidence of amiloride-sensitive fluid absorption in rat descending colonic crypts from fluorescence recovery of FITC-labelled dextran after photobleaching. J Physiol. 2001 Oct 15; 536(Pt 2):541-53. View Abstract
  80. Radiation induced cytochrome c release causes loss of rat colonic fluid absorption by damage to crypts and pericryptal myofibroblasts. Gut. 2000 Nov; 47(5):675-84. View Abstract

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