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Our “ELI” framework trace how stroma has evolved to regulate epithelial invasion
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Tumors develop hypoxia, which can also fluctuate. HIF-1a can also exhibit oscillations.
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MFI comprises of juxtaposed fetal and maternal tissues causing competition+co-operation
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Cells, like all of us, live in a matrix. And the nature of the
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Wenqiang Du
Yamin Liu
Dr. Yamin Liu’s research focus on cancer microenvironment and heart disease, including cancer-stroma interaction, hypoxia and metabolism, molecular mechanisms of cardiac development and disease.
Yasir Suhail
Kshitiz
Kshitiz received his B.Tech. in Computer Science at IIT Bombay, and then PhD in BME from Johns Hopkins Medicine (advisors: Andre Levchenko, Gregg Semenza). He started a startup in University of Washington, Seattle for sometime before returning to academia at Yale University as an Associate Research Scientist. After that Kshitiz joined UConn Health, where he is an Associate Professor in BME.
Apart from science, Kshitiz is an entrepreneur, and a classical dancer in bharatanatyam, as well as an author.
Xihua Qiu
Khadija Wali
Khadija Wali is a PhD student in Biomedical Sciences at UConn Health, part of the cell biology area of concentration. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Central Connecticut State University, where she studied Biology, Chemistry, and Arabic. In the Kshitiz lab, Khadija is investigating stromal regulation, focusing on the interplay between cancer and the tumor microenvironment. Her work aims at integrating insights from reproductive biology, where she is conducting comparative analyses across species to uncover evolutionary parallels relevant to cancer. Her work employs genetic analysis, and utilizing 2D and 3D in vitro cellular assays.Outside of the lab she enjoys photography, reading, journaling, cooking, and making Pinterest boards.Interest
Shaofei Liu
Shaofei is an experienced Bioinformatician with expertise in single cell sequencing, statistics, high dimensional analysis with a particular focus on cancer staging.
David Englert
Harrison Quilliam
I am a sophomore biomedical engineering student at UCONN Storrs. I come from a small town in southern Rhode Island, Narragansett. Surfing and skiing are the two things I will never turn down. Over the last two semesters, I have become a part of this lab, assisting in experiments using traction force microscopy, as well as other cell culture experiments. I have recently started work with animals, and I am excited to dive further into this sector.
Cancer-stroma interactionsWhen we think of cancer, we mostly think of cells constituting the neoplastic part of cancer — the seed of an overgrowing weed. However, it is also the rest of the stroma — the soil in which the tumor grows — plays a large role in cancer progression. These “seed and soil hypotheses” are now both studied extensively, but we do it from an evolutionary angle. By comparative biology, we have identified stromal changes which support, or prevent cancer metastasis. DISCOVER MOREHypoxia and MetabolismTumors are frequently hypoxic, and glycolytic. Their metabolic pathways are rerouted to help tumor cells continue to divide rapidly under lack of oxygen, and unavailability of certain nutrients. We study how lactate, a byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis, and accompanied acidosis in the microenvironment influences cancer phenotypes. We have also discovered that HIF-1 activity can fluctuate, driven by lactate, allowing cells to cheat and grow. In our lab, we study how fluctuations in hypoxia can specifically modulate cancer behaviors. DISCOVER MOREMechanobiology and Cardiac MaturationCells, like all of us, live in a matrix. And the nature of the matrix could determine important functions of the cells, including their shape, migration speeds, fate, proliferative state, as well as metabolism. We focus on understanding how matrix rigidity and topography regulates cell signaling, and metabolism, as well as utilize mechanobiology for cardiac maturation. Related Publications Kshitiz, Afzal J, Kim SY, Kim DH…DISCOVER MORESystems Bio of Maternal Fetal InterfaceThe Maternal Fetal Interface (MFI) is a unique compartment where two genetically different tissues interact. This “genetic conflict” has led to an evolutionary arms race, resulting in many new “innovations” and a huge diversity in placentation. We study MFI from a systems perspective, identifying mechanisms driving placental invasion, with a particular focus on maternal (endometrial) stroma. In addition, we study placentation disorders, e.g. placenta accreta. DISCOVER MORE
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Our lab uses and develops biomedical tools to specifically answer biological questions we are interested in. We have specialized assays developed in house, as well as use a variety of tools developed elsewhere, which we customize for our collaborative research.
