Research Summary
Stem cells play a key role in embryo development. They also maintain tissue when the body is dealing with inflammation or after radiation therapy. Unfortunately, stem cells can also contribute to the development of tumours and cancer relapse because they can resist standard anti-cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation. As Canada Research Chair in Gastrointestinal Stem Cell Biology, Dr. Véronique Giroux is studying the role stem cells play in the digestive tract during these processes.
Giroux and her research team are trying to better understand the functions of stem cells in gastrointestinal homeostasis (the process that maintains internal balance within the gut). They are exploring what makes these cells so different from others and how they contribute to tissue regeneration and cancer. A better understanding of how stem cells function in the digestive tract could contribute to the development of new therapies for patients suffering from inflammation or cancer.