Many of our tissues, like our skin or gut, lose cells from constant environmental insults, for example from pathogens or chemicals. Thus, a tissue’s ability to sense stress or damage, defend itself and replace spent cells to promote repair is key for its proper function, maintaining its integrity and preventing disease. Despite its importance, however, how tissues maintain epithelial integrity is poorly understood. 
 
To better understand this process, we are using the adult fruit fly intestine, which is remarkably similar to our own gut. Together with genetic, biochemical, molecular and imaging techniques, we aim to determine how oxidants and damage-sensing signals trigger cells to defend themselves and support tissue repair upon injury. Additionally, we aim to determine whether biorhythmic cues received by tissues support their upkeep by fostering new cell production and to identify ways cells can survive longer to prolong tissue integrity when new cells can no longer be produced.

Our work could provide novel therapeutic strategies for tissue repair, inflammation, ageing and cancer.