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Lungs for Living Research Centre

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Airway Stem Cells and Tissue Repair Group

We study the biological mechanisms regulating lung cell homeostasis and aim to devise strategies for airway tissue repair.

Programme leader:

Airway regeneration

The airways connect the lungs to the outside environment. This makes them vulnerable to numerous insults throughout a person鈥檚 lifetime. Maintaining the integrity of the epithelium lining the airways is essential for its multiple functions. The epithelium humidifies and warms inspired air, undertakes gaseous exchange and defends against pathogens. Failure to repair epithelial damage may cause severe lung disease, with no treatment options to reverse the damage or restore lung function.

Airway epithelial stem cells play important roles in responding and repairing damaged tissue, as they can self-renew and differentiate to produce other types of airway epithelial cells. However, the mechanisms that regulate cell fate decisions in the airway epithelium are still largely unknown.

鈥�A central focus of our research is to understand how airway stem cells maintain a healthy lung epithelium, and how they allow adequate regeneration and repair after injury.

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3D organoids
In our laboratory, we have developed methods to expand human airway epithelial stem cells isolated from biopsies taken from patients. We can also differentiate these cells towards the mature airway cell types as three-dimensional (3D) organoids, allowing us to study airway epithelial cell regeneration under physiologically relevant conditions. We combine these techniques with cutting-edge molecular biology approaches to investigate the role of candidate genes and signalling pathways in the regulation of airway epithelial cell self-renewal and differentiation.

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In collaboration with world-leading research groups, we are also investigating the effect of the microenvironment, including fibroblasts, immune cells and extracellular matrix, on airway epithelial stem cells. This will help us understand how these components communicate with each other and contribute to maintain homeostasis and allow repair of lung function.

Some of our research puplications:

  • Eur Respir J (2020)
  • bioRxiv (2020)
  • Am J Respir Crit Care Med (2016)
  • Elife (2013)

Further Information

General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018 for health and care research

  1. Project: An Investigation into the molecular pathogenesis of lung disease (PI: Professor Sam Janes)
  1. Project: Longitudinal study of patients with pre-invasive lesions of the bronchus (PI: Professor Sam Janes)

Our research is supported by:

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UKRI