Jason Spence: Hi! I’m an associate professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Cell and Developmental Biology and Bioengineering at the University of Michigan. I am broadly interested in understanding how tissues develop. I like to think about, and study, how stem cells decide to differentiate into a specific tissue lineage, how cells organize into complex tissue structures (i.e. organs), and how organs develop/mature.
I have run a research laboratory for about six years at the University of Michigan, and my laboratory primarily uses human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to experimentally address these fundamental questions. hPSCs are grown in a tissue culture incubator, and have the capability to differentiate into any cell type in the human body. Our work has led us to develop complex, three-dimensional tissue models called ‘organoids’. Organoids are organ-like, meaning that they possess many different cell types that would be found in a human organ, and have some (but not all) features of that organ. For example, we have developed methods to guide hPSCs into intestinal organoids. I’m now having a lot of fun collaborating with Vince and David, using intestinal organoids to understand how microbes (bacteria) influence intestinal maturation and function.
Vincent Young: I’m a physician-scientist and professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases. I also moonlight as a microbiologist in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan. The research in my laboratory is directed at understanding the role of bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract play in influencing the health status of their host. This includes the study of traditional pathogenic bacteria in gastrointestinal illness, with a particular emphasis on Clostridium difficile. In addition, we also examine how the indigenous GI microbiota can influence the host-pathogen interaction and how changes in the gut microbiome itself can lead to pathogenic states. In a dramatic turn of events, I’ve recently realized that my true scientific love is developmental biology, and it has been really rewarding to work with David and Jason to bring our areas of interest together to explore new areas of biology.
David Hill: I'm a postdoctoral fellow in the University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology. My interest is in understanding the reciprocal relationship between the microbes that reside in the intestine and their host tissue. In particular, I study how the newborn intestine facilitates and adapts to colonization by beneficial organisms while defending against potential pathogens and damaging inflammation. Understanding these events may be important for improving health outcomes, especially among infants born prematurely.
I've been lucky to be co-mentored by both Vince and Jason for the past three years. The experience has taught me a lot about how to conduct collaborative and open team science, as my project leans heavily on both Vince's expertise in microbiology and Jason's developmental biology perspective. Together, we generated intestinal tissue from stem cells and asked how these tissues would be able to adapt to microbial colonization in the culture dish. Our studies suggest that the ability to adapt to microbial colonization is present even in immature intestinal tissue lacking dedicated immune cells. We found that the intestine relies on contact with bacteria to enhance its protective properties and limit damage from inflammatory stimuli. Our findings lay out a new approach that can be used to better understand how interactions with some bacteria lead to improved health, and how some interactions may lead to disease in early life. </p>
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