Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, membrane-bound particles released by cells that play a crucial role in intercellular communication. EVs enter the circulation and carry vital information about the cell of origin. Because of this, they can serve as biomarkers of tissue damage and health, whether that be due to disease or environmental exposure. ​

The important cargo that EVs carry includes: proteins, lipids, and RNA. Our lab is developing techniques to isolate EVs that originate from specific tissues, such as the brain, lung, and liver. These tissue-specific EVs are particularly significant because they reflect the molecular signature of their parent cells, providing valuable insights into the specific functions and responses of these tissues. Because we can isolate EVs from small quantities of plasma, they can serve as precise and valuable non-invasive “liquid biopsies” of their parent cells, that capture early pathological changes in these tissues. ​

By studying tissue-specific EVs, we can uncover novel biomarkers for disease and track cellular changes over time due to environmental exposures. Our lab focuses on isolating and characterizing these vesicles to better understand their role in health, as well as the impact of environmental exposures on EVs. ​

Featured projects:​

• Extracellular vesicles in Environmental Epidemiology Studies of Aging (R35)