Research Highlights
The active form of the hormone vitamin D controls calcium and phosphate levels in the body. In addition, it contributes to the regulation of the inflammation and cell proliferation, conferring a protective, even therapeutic, role in various cancers and autoimmune diseases. To date, the mechanisms underlying the activities of vitamin D have not been elucidated. This lack of understanding limits its clinical use, since the doses required for the treatment of cancers or autoimmune diseases induce hypercalcemia; resulting in calcification of the kidneys, heart and vessels, leading to dysfunction of these organs.
Exploring disease progression
Identification of the mechanisms underlying disease initiation and progression.
Unravelling Vitamin D activities
Studying how disruptions in vitamin D signaling contribute to disease development and progression.
Our group is interested in understanding how vitamin D controls calcium homeostasis and tumor progression. We focus on rare diseases characterized by impaired vitamin D signaling, and on prostate cancer. We use patient cells and mouse models recapitulating human pathologies, and leverage single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses coupled with functional validations. We also collaborate with chemists to characterise new vitamin D analogues with potent therapeutic activities for many diseases that are refractory to current treatments.