Overview

As our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms has grown exponentially in recent decades, so has the recognition that many aspects of human physiology, when disturbed, transcend the boundaries that define clinical specialties. Examples include disturbances in the immune system causing diseases ranging from asthma to inflammatory bowel disease, and alterations in the microbiome affecting both cognition and inflammation. Traditional approaches to studying these diseases can isolate researchers in specialized departments, depriving investigators of valuable interaction with other individuals who are studying intimately related mechanisms of disease.

The mission of the Experimental Medicine Unit is to convert insights from patients into a detailed mechanistic understanding of pathophysiology. To accomplish this goal, we integrate insights from genetics, functional genomics, and animal models to probe disease pathways, inform hypothesis-driven studies in human subjects, and validate the suitability of novel therapeutic strategies.