Welcome to the Mentzer Lab

A focus of our laboratory is the adaptive and regenerative processes contributing to tissue repair and regeneration. These processes typically involve blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) and changes in the organ surface (mesothelial-mesenchymal transition). The study of these processes involves a multi-scale approach: 1) the regulated expression of genes and molecules, 2) the interactive signaling communication between cells, and 3) the structural/biomechanical relationships leading to adult tissue remodeling (morphogenesis). A recent focus of our approach has been the use of biologic polymers(such as pectin) as tools to explore mesothelial-mesenchymal transition and other fundamental processes essential to normal tissue repair and regeneration. The perturbation of these processes is a major contributor to lung disease and lung cancer.