Summary of Research
The Croitoru lab is interested in understanding the mechanisms that regulate the mucosal inflammation as it relates to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases. The lab is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team with both basic research and clinical translational research arms. The lab brings together enthusiastic scientists with diverse backgrounds, skills, and interests, providing a wide range of perspectives to each research project.
Research Areas
Basic Research in Immunology of IBD:
Research in basic mucosal immunology of the gut is focused on investigating the fundamental mechanisms of intestinal inflammation, in particular the role of T cell effector and regulatory function in the intestinal mucosa in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In close collaboration with members of the Dept. of Immunology we have developed a diverse series of animal models to explore the nature of host microbiome interactions in driving and regulating mucosal inflammation and response to injury.
Clinical Translational Research in IBD:
The Clinical Translational Research Unit is a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) funded laboratory that is set up to process and analyze biological samples of patients followed in our Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Mount Sinai Hospital. Here we are exploring issues of disease pathogenesis and response to therapy as well as exploring the fundamental basis of host microbe interactions in man.