Uterine Receptivity
 
My research group investigates crucial factors that determine the uterine microenvironment (called uterine receptivity), wherein the embryo implants and pregnancy is maintained successfully.

Understanding how these events are regulated at the molecular and cellular levels and elucidating the detailed mechanisms responsible for making the endometrium becomes more receptive to an embryo are essential to identify novel therapeutic strategies for clinical intervention for the patients who experience repeated implantation failure. We are currently testing potential therapies that have been identified through our previous research.

- Initial maternal-fetal dialogue at implantation
- Immunological aspects at implantation

Endometrial Regeneration

Our laboratory has been working to develop novel therapeutic strategies to reactivate and regenerate the endometrial functionalis in patients suffering from repeated implantation failure owing to Asherman’s syndrome and thin endometrium. To study endometrial regeneration, we have developed 3D endometrial organoids, which exhibit phenotypical and functional similarities to their tissue of origin.  

Using these organoid-based 3D culture systems, our goals are to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the remarkable regenerative capacity of this dynamic organ, to harness its regenerative mechanisms for the precise repair of old or damaged tissues, and to understand how endometrial organoids can be used as a therapeutic intervention to improve the rates of embryo implantation and pregnancy.
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‌- Endometrial Organoid

Microfluidics & Organ-on-a-Chip

Our lab has been interested in recapitulating the maternal-fetal interface in vitro. Due to the inaccessible nature and the lack of a standard in vitro model system to examine the pre- and peri-implantation phases of pregnancy in human endometrium, it has not been possible to fully understand the process of embryo implantation at the cellular and molecular levels. We recently developed a microengineered vascularized endometrium-on-a-chip (MVEOC), which reconstitutes physiologically relevant endometrial environment including three distinct layers of the epithelium, stroma, and blood vessels, and demonstrated its appropriate responsiveness to pro-angiogenic factors and hormonal stimuli. This advanced model system will provide an effective tool for drug screening and toxicity testing in the field of female reproductive system and elucidating specific molecular mechanisms involved in reproductive biology, with potential applications in personalized medicine.  

- Endometrium-on-a-chip
- Maternal-Fetal interface-on-a-chip

Cancer

Our laboratory has been extensively investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the resistance to conventional chemotherapy in ovarian cancer, which we believe it is an essential step forward toward development of effective therapeutic strategies for this deadly disease.

We have previously demonstrated that DNA damage response and repair machinery are severely attenuated in chemo-resistant ovarian cancer cells, along with a significantly compromised non-homologous end-joining DNA repair activity. In particular, we are interested in identifying novel therapeutic strategies to restore the attenuated DNA damage response and repair activity in order to overcome the chemotherapeutic drug resistance and increase the efficacy of cancer treatment.  
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‌- DNA Damage Response & DNA Repair