Kai Yee Eng

Research interests

I am studying the molecular mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal metaplasia, a condition in which cells within one tissue acquire characteristics of another tissue. This condition commonly arises in the context of chronic infection or persistent irritation and significantly increases the risk of cancer development. The primary aim of my research is to understand the molecular switch that drives cells to become metaplastic. To achieve this, I will employ omics technologies to analyse spatially resolved gene expression profiles within the microenvironment of metaplastic cells and compare them to healthy tissue. Additionally, I will utilise human stem cell-derived models, such as organoids and mucosoids, to validate my findings. The overarching goal of my work is to dissect the signalling pathways involved in the initiation and progression of metaplasia. In the future, this knowledge will provide insights into the risk and mechanisms underlying progression to dysplasia and cancer.

background

I completed my MRes in Biomedical Research (Microbiome in Health and Diseases) at Imperial College London. Before doing my PhD, I worked as a lab technician in the structural biology theme at the Rosalind Franklin Institute