The Epithelial Systems Biology Laboratory, headed by Mark Knepper, uses systems biology-based approaches to study how the kidney regulates water excretion. This involves use of large-scale data acquisition techniques, such as protein mass spectrometry and ‘next-generation’ nucleotide sequencing technologies to discover molecular mechanisms involved in renal water transport. Much of the focus is on regulation of molecular water channels called aquaporins by the hormone vasopressin. The Epithelial Systems Biology Laboratory is a small close-knit group of scientists devoted to development and exploitation of cutting-edge experimental and computational tools for these studies.
