Eries Jay Moreno

My thesis research focuses on understanding how endothelial cells influence gastric regeneration and early tumorigenesis through signaling interactions with epithelial cells. While endothelial cells are traditionally viewed as structural components of the vasculature, my work explores the idea that they may also function as active regulators of epithelial plasticity and tissue remodeling within the gastric microenvironment. I am particularly interested in how vascular-derived signals shape regenerative responses following injury and whether dysregulation of these interactions contributes to the emergence of premalignant cellular states in the stomach.

A major component of my work centers on the transcription factor SOX4 and its role in epithelial cell state transitions during gastric injury and regeneration. Using genetically engineered mouse models, lineage tracing systems, histologic analysis, and single-cell RNA sequencing approaches, I investigate how SOX4 expression is regulated within gastric epithelial populations and whether it promotes regenerative programs associated with cellular plasticity and early tumorigenic progression. My work specifically examines how injury-induced epithelial states arise, how they are maintained, and whether endothelial signaling contributes to these processes.

More broadly, my research aims to bridge vascular biology and gastrointestinal pathology by defining how endothelial–epithelial communication shapes dynamic tissue environments. By integrating in vivo mouse models with transcriptomic and spatial approaches, I hope to better understand how the stromal microenvironment contributes to regeneration and how chronic activation of these pathways may create conditions permissive for gastric tumor initiation.