Barrier tissues are continuously exposed to environmental challenges, making tissue damage an inevitable feature of life. The capacity to repair is therefore one of the most fundamental biological processes for preserving organ function across the lifespan. Nowhere is this more evident than during infection, when immune defense and tissue repair are inseparably connected. When these repair processes are poorly induced or improperly resolved, the consequences include degenerative, fibrotic, and even malignant disease. Our research program seeks to identify the specific immune regulators that govern tissue repair, with the goal of developing targeted strategies that enhance regeneration without compromising host defense.

Revising the prevailing view that repair often follows pathogen clearance, we propose that immune cells actively initiate and coordinate early repair programs while inflammatory responses act to eliminate infection. Such coordination enables timely repair that is essential for preserving barrier integrity and tissue function, but it comes at a cost. The “need for speed” can lead to scarring, fibrosis, and functional decline. Our lab utilizes viral respiratory infection as a system to interrogate tissue repair with a focus on how these reparative programs create vulnerabilities that predispose tissues to disease.