MAD LAB RESEARCH PROGRAM
While we understand metabolites as key entities for controlling cellular energetics, it is now increasingly evident that metabolites play an integral role in governing cellular decisions. In this regard, our goal is to identify key metabolic modes of stem cell development, fate determination, differentiation and function.
We specifically focus on understanding how metabolism controls the development and function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Using Drosophila as the primary model system our goal is to uncover novel metabolic underpinnings of blood development and function. The implications of modulating key metabolic events in blood progenitor cell development and function forms a central area of our investigation.
OUR APPROACHES
The laboratory employs a multi-prong approach. Our techniques range from genetics to molecular biology and genome-wide approaches in Drosophila and mouse model systems.
The group has initiated unbiased screenings in Drosophila to identify novel metabolic and systemic cues. We are following up on the hits through multiple strategies:
- genetics and developmental biology approaches to dissect interactions and pathways
- systems approaches to enable a global understanding of the cellular and biological processes affected
- at the level of understanding animal physiology, where the relevance of these cues and inputs are addressed in the context of regulating animal development and health.
OUR FUTURE GOALS
The future goal of our lab is to converge on defining key signaling events, metabolites and their cross talk with signaling pathways in dictating or fine-tuning developmentally controlled decisions important for blood stem cell development both in homeostasis and in conditions of stress.
Our work will lay the foundation to address key metabolic interactions that are critical elements underlying blood development and its related disorders.