The mission of our laboratory is to develop new therapies in cancer and regenerative medicine by targeting the tissue microenvironment.

As a seed needs the correct light, water, and soil to germinate and grow, most malignant diseases require a highly specialized environment to initiate, develop and progress. Interactive stromal cells including vasculature, immune cells, and stem cells, create a tissue-specific microenvironment with abundant soluble factors and matrix conducive to cancer progression and post-injury tissue repair. The goal of our laboratory is to decipher the key mechanisms that control the formation of a body-hostile, disease-friendly tissue microenvironment. By targeting the tissue microenvironment we will be able to penetrate the microenvironment allowing host defenses and situation-specific therapies to target the diseased tissue with great efficacy.