Development and functional regulation of BBB

The research interests of our lab are the development and functional modulations of tissue barriers including blood-brain barrier (BBB) and epithelial barriers. Using in vitro systems, zebrafish and mice models, our group focuses on (1) the developmental roles of Claudin family members on the barrier formation; (2) using synthesized peptides to selectively open tight junctions for the drug delivery; (3) the interactions between endothelial cells and pericytes and/or astrocytes during BBB formation; (4) protective and repair mechanisms under pathological and ischemic conditions.