Delawrence
is a second-year IRACDA fellow. His work converges at the intersections of
gastrointestinal homeostasis, inflammation, and cancer. Our bodies must respond
to the metabolic demands of a low oxygen (hypoxic) environment. Chronic hypoxia and inflammation are attributed to the development of cancer phenotypes.
Delawrence, in association with the Shah lab, investigates the molecular
mechanisms by which hypoxia mediates gastrointestinal homeostasis and inflammation which will help improve existing approaches to cancer
therapy.
Delawrence’s
current projects investigate the role of Itaconate (a metabolite of the TCA
cycle) in regulating cellular metabolism and its dual role as an anti-inflammatory signaling
molecule. A separate project explores the impact of enrichment on anxiety-like
behavior in mice and the impact of enrichment on gut microbiota. Understanding
how enrichment impacts the brain and behavior directs continued investigation
of the gut-brain-microbiome axis and tumor suppression in mice and
humans.