Dr Rebecca Clark

Research Interests	My research focuses on intestinal function in health and disease. The intestine is a complex organ that balances competing demands. The epithelium acts as a barrier against the external environment but must also absorb appropriate nutrients. It must defend against pathogens while supporting a diverse microbial population that is beneficial for health. It undergoes rapid cell turnover and must integrate new cells and shed old ones without compromising barrier function. In my lab, we use the powerful genetic tools available in the Drosophila model to understand how the intestinal epithelium balances these competing demands and what happens when things go wrong. We currently focus our efforts on answering two questions: 1) What cellular and molecular mechanisms underlie loss of intestinal barrier function during illness, disease, and old age? 2) What is the relationship between intestinal homeostasis, nutrition, and the regulation of nutrient uptake? This research has the potential to break new ground in our understanding of intestinal homeostasis as a cornerstone of health.
ResearcherID	J-9135-2015

Research Interests

My research focuses on intestinal function in health and disease.

The intestine is a complex organ that balances competing demands. The epithelium acts as a barrier against the external environment but must also absorb appropriate nutrients. It must defend against pathogens while supporting a diverse microbial population that is beneficial for health. It undergoes rapid cell turnover and must integrate new cells and shed old ones without compromising barrier function. In my lab, we use the powerful genetic tools available in the Drosophila model to understand how the intestinal epithelium balances these competing demands and what happens when things go wrong.

We currently focus our efforts on answering two questions:
1) What cellular and molecular mechanisms underlie loss of intestinal barrier function during illness, disease, and old age?
2) What is the relationship between intestinal homeostasis, nutrition, and the regulation of nutrient uptake?

This research has the potential to break new ground in our understanding of intestinal homeostasis as a cornerstone of health.

ResearcherID

J-9135-2015