Overview : We engage in basic discovery and translational research designed to decipher the immunobiology of mucosal tissue eosinophils and mechanistic underpinnings of their homeostatic and pathologic functions in health and disease. Overarching goals of these studies are to uncover new insights into disease pathology and novel therapeutic targets that will ultimately improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with eosinophil-associated diseases.

Approach : Our integrated studies utilize patient samples and mouse models in a “bedside to bench to bedside” approach. Our patient cohorts and mouse models include eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs; EoE, EoG, EoN, EoC), food allergy, asthma, atopic dermatitis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Background : Eosinophils are innate immune cells that reside within mucosal tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract and lung of healthy individuals, wherein they contribute to maintaining a strong protective barrier and healthy immune system, and protect against microbial pathogens. In contrast, within the context of allergic diseases (for example allergic asthma and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)), and also some non-allergic diseases such inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), excessive eosinophilic inflammation contributes to disease pathology.