Basic and translational gastrointestinal research
The Hamilton lab studies intestinal epithelial cells and the roles they play in human health, regenerative medicine, and chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Epithelial cells are crucial because they form a barrier between the external environment and the rest of the body. A breakdown of this barrier is a hallmark of gastrointestinal injury and disease. While we understand a great deal about how intestinal epithelial cells function, effective strategies to heal the barrier by directly targeting epithelial cells remain limited. Our goal is to identify new mechanisms of intestinal epithelial cell biology that can serve as therapeutic targets for patients suffering from gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), celiac disease, and very early-onset IBD (VEO-IBD).
Generating foundational knowledge of human healthOur goal is to generate foundational discoveries that advance our understanding of intestinal epithelial biology, promote human health, and alleviate suffering from chronic gastrointestinal disease.
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Training the next generation of scientistsWe are deeply committed to training scientists at all levels — from high school students through postdoctoral scholars — and to making outstanding science education and mentorship accessible to all who seek it.
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This is the personal website of Dr. Kathryn (Kate) Hamilton. The Hamilton laboratory is grateful to our funding sources: the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK, NIAID, NIEHS); the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust; the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation; the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation; the University of Pennsylvania Institute for Translational Medicine (ITMAT); the University of Pennsylvania Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IRM); and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute. Dr. Hamilton co-directs the CHOP Gastrointestinal Epithelium Modeling (GEM) Program, which houses the GEM Core facility supporting patient-derived organoid research across CHOP, Penn, and beyond. Banner graphic designed by Arwa Abbas.
If you would like to support research in the Hamilton lab, please contact Dr. Hamilton via the Contact tab.
If you would like to support research in the Hamilton lab, please contact Dr. Hamilton via the Contact tab.