Our research group focuses on characterizing new molecular mechanisms involved in the functional regulation of somatic or adult stem cell niches, with potential therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine and in the prevention and treatment of diseases such as cancer and degenerative disorders.
Our experimental model is mammalian skin—primarily from mice and humans—whose stem cell niches are generally regulated by signaling systems that are equivalent to those that regulate the activity of somatic stem cells in any other adult tissue.
Currently, one of our primary areas of research is the characterization of the physiological functions of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the regulation of skin homeostasis and regeneration, processes that depend directly on the activity of tissue stem cell niches.
In this regard, another of our priority areas of research is the identification of plant-derived compounds capable of promoting broad-spectrum skin regeneration, in which ROS signaling is potentially involved. In particular, we are interested in cannabinoids, flavonoids, xanthones, and oleic acids.
