Belle Lab - Gastroenterology Research Laboratory

The Belle Laboratory is part of the Division of Gastroenterology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Research in our laboratory aims to unravel the mechanisms that drive intestinal mucosal inflammation and its complications. Specifically, our current projects focus on understanding how trefoil factor family proteins and their receptors regulate mucosal damage repair, regeneration, tumorigenesis and T cell mediated anti-helminth immunity. We utilize genetically engineered mouse models, intestinal organoids, patient-derived samples and high-dimensional immune and genomic profiling to address knowledge gaps in mucosal repair, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer biology. Our long-term goal is to elucidate the biochemical and functional interactions between key molecular pathways and cells involved in intestinal mucosal damage and repair and apply them to the development of novel therapeutics against inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and helminth and viral infections.