Systems Biology of Epithelia Laboratory

Vasopressin is a pituitary peptide hormone that regulates the molecular water channel protein aquaporin-2 in the renal collecting ducts. Upon binding to its V2 receptor, vasopressin activates a signaling network that regulates aquaporin-2 in two modes. In the short-term regulation, vasopressin induces trafficking of aquaporin-2 from the intracellular storage vesicles to the apical plasma membrane where aquaporin-2 transports water from the urine back to the cells. Water leaves the cells via aquaporin-3 and aquaporin-4 at the basolateral membrane, returning to the interstitium. In the long-term regulation, vasopressin increases mRNA and protein levels of the aquaporin-2 gene. We are using systems approaches to investigate vasopressin signaling, aquaporin-2 trafficking and gene expression.

Mosquitoes transmit many viruses that cause devastating diseases. We are devising transgenic strategies to stop mosquito-borne virus transmission. This provides a safe alternative with minimal impact on the envuirinment.