Quantitative Spatial Cancer Biology

Spatial organization is pivotal for homeostatic tissue function, particularly in tissues with high turnover rates such as the bone marrow (BM). In fact, billions of mature blood cells are produced in the BM every day. This massive production is regulated by reciprocal interactions between different blood cell types and non-hematopoietic components. Acute stress and cancer significantly alter those homeostatic interactions and impair healthy tissue function. We are interested in defining the cellular and molecular events through which stress and cancer affect BM  organization with the goal to develop targeted intervention strategies to restore healthy tissue function.