My research involves primarily the study of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans in the fields of cornea, cancer, wound healing, stem cells, inflammation, development, spinal cord injury and nerve regeneration. This unique interdisciplinary approach aims to decipher the role of glycosaminoglycans in development and pathology. One of our ongoing projects is to unveil the role of hyaluronan (HA) in ocular surface development and pathology using knockout approaches. We have previously shown that umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells synthesize a rich extracellular HA modified glycocalyx that regulates inflammatory cells enabling these cells to survive xenograft rejection. We are currently developing umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and their hyaluronan rich glycocalyx for treating inflammatory disorders.
