Our laboratory is focused on two fundamental questions in the field of tissue regeneration. Firstly, we aim to understand the mechanisms that account for the superior regenerative abilities seen in certain organisms compared to others. Secondly, we investigate the underlying causes of the decline in regenerative capacity that accompanies aging. A fascinating case study in our research is the freshwater flatworm planarian, which possesses an unparalleled ability to regenerate from an 8000-cell tissue fragment into a complete organism within an astonishingly short period of time. This unique capability has shaped our research direction, leading us to explore the field of self-organized organoids. We primarily utilize these organoids as models to study human diseases, with a particular focus on disorders associated with neuronal degeneration.

In the context of our work, we strive to unravel the intricate cellular and molecular mechanisms that facilitate the exceptional whole-body regeneration observed in planarians. Additionally, our aim is to decipher the complex processes involved in neuronal degeneration within organoids. Our ultimate objective is to apply our findings to enhance our understanding of tissue regeneration, aging, and neural degenerative diseases. We anticipate that this knowledge will contribute to advancements in the life sciences and aid in the development of innovative therapeutic approaches in these areas.

Our paper about planarian neoblast culture and gene delivery in iscience is online! Congratulations to Wenya and Jiajia!

We are ready in Yungu campus!