Vilain Lab/Regenerative Biology Research Group
We study how the body repairs itself. By comparing cells and tissues that can regenerate with those that cannot, we aim to better understand the biology of healing — insights that could guide new therapies and improve recovery after injury.
Research Overview
Research Approach
Regeneration—the ability of organisms to repair or replace damaged tissues—is a fascinating field that can teach us why some cells and tissues heal completely while others do not. Studying these processes could eventually lead to new ways to treat injuries and restore function in humans. To explore these questions, we use the axolotl, a salamander species with extraordinary regenerative abilities, as our primary model.
Our current work focuses on two main questions:
- How do axolotls regrow limbs?
When an axolotl loses a limb, it can regrow a new one that is almost identical to the original, complete with bones, muscles, nerves, and skin. A key step in this process is the formation of a special layer of tissue at the wound site, which kickstarts and guides regeneration. We study how this layer forms and how it coordinates the rebuilding of a fully functional limb. - Why can axolotls repair neurons more easily?
Nerve cells in axolotls regenerate much better than in mammals. We look at the molecules and pathways that make this possible, to understand what sets them apart.
We study regeneration by looking at how different molecules help or hinder the healing process. Using modern genetic tools, we can “tweak” the activity of specific molecules inside axolotl cells to see what role they play. We then watch how these changes affect regeneration with powerful imaging techniques, ranging from live videos of healing tissue to detailed views under advanced microscopes.
