Prof. Nishimura is interested in how the vasculature, immune, inflammatory systems and cells native to a tissue interact in disease states. Her lab's strategy is to develop novel tools to image the contribution of multiple physiological systems to diseases with in vivo animal models. To study these systems at their full complexity in the complete living animal, they use multiphoton microscopy to image cell dynamics in rodents. They also use femtosecond laser ablation and quantitative analysis to dissect function in the living system. In diseases as diverse as cardiovascular disease and cancer metastasis, the microvasculature provides an avenue of access for immune and inflammatory cells. Alterations in blood flow and the invasion of blood-borne cells are examples of complex events which can shape how a disease either progresses or resolves. The lab compares these dynamics across multiple organ systems and diseases.