The gut is a gastrointestinal tract which plays an essential role in the health of our entire body. Our lab studies the intestine, which is a major part of the gastrointestinal system. The intestine is not a boring organ that merely digests foods and produces feces, but rather it is a fascinating organ that directly interacts with many important cells in our body. For example, the intestine has the largest number of immune cells and bacteria, and the 2nd largest number of neural cells (It is our second brain)! We believe that understanding the intestine, especially in the relationship with environmental factors such as diet is the key to developing novel strategies to prevent and treat many chronic diseases, including colon cancer.
