James Baker

Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

Our intestine plays a vital role in absorbing nutrients and provides a protective barrier within the digestive tract. As a consequence of these functions, the epithelial cells lining the intestine are frequently damaged and demonstrate a high turnover rate. These cells are organized into finger-like crypt-villus structures, where intestinal stem cells (ISCs) reside at the base of the crypts and are responsible for the continuous renewal of intestinal epithelial cells. James’ research utilizes photoresponsive synthetic hydrogels to spatiotemporally manipulate the environment surrounding ISC organoids in order to better understand how the extracellular matrix influences intestinal crypt formation. This work will hopefully lead to a platform for investigating intestinal development and pathology in a systematic and reproducible manner.