Faculty & Staff

Patterning of developing embryos requires signaling via different molecules in spacio-temporally regulated manner. Hedgehog is one such highly conserved signaling protein required for embryonic patterning and is also hyper-activated in several cancers. Mechanism of Hedgehog release, transport and reception to activate different target genes for tissue patterning and cancer progression involves intricate processes at molecular and cellular levels. Several evidences including our previous work suggest that Hedgehog proteins are secreted on exovesicles. We find that Hedgehog proteins are secreted on at least two types of exovesicles with distinct proteins and miRNAs. Apart from exovesicles, there are other reported extracellular forms of Hedgehog proteins. However, currently the need for secretion of Hedgehog in different extracellular forms remains unclear.

Our group is interested in probing the basic biology of exovesicular release of Hedgehog and miRNA packaging. Using chick embryos as our model for tissue patterning and leukemia as our disease model, our lab is  investigating if different extracellular forms of Hedgehog proteins have distinct functional abilities. In the field of cancer biology our team works closely with practising clinicians to evaluate molecular mechanisms of therapy resistance and cancer progression.