Patients with ulcerative colitis experience relapsing flares of wounds in their intestine. A root cause of the disease is weakened barrier function leading to influx of luminal content and subsequent inflammation. By uncovering how the intestinal lining grows during development and regrows after disease, we illuminate signals that support natural mechanisms of healing hereby enabling the intestinal ecosystem to recover and flourish once again.
reNEW research
We study how the intestine grows during development and regrows after disease. By comparing developing and damaged tissue, we identify signals that can support regeneration and test these on mini-intestines grown from stem cells in the laboratory. Our vision is to strengthen the intestine’s protective barrier and improve recovery after disease.
Image description
The image displays the emergence and patterning of stem cell-containing crypts during intestinal development.
Credits
Hjalte List Larsen, Senior Scientist, Jensen lab, reNEW Copenhagen.
