Varelas Lab Home
Research in the Varelas lab is focused on gaining insight into the molecular mechanisms by which cell fate is coordinated with cell proliferation and survival during animal development and disease. The lab is particularly interested in understanding the roles of the transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ), which are key effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway.
YAP/TAZ integrate cell polarity and mechanical cues with cytokine signals to direct organ development and homeostasis. The lab uses molecular and genetic approaches to define how YAP/TAZ control developmental processes, gain insight into the mechanisms by which YAP/TAZ are regulated, and determine how dysregulated YAP/TAZ activity contributes to the etiology of various diseases, such as cancer.