Cheng Lab
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Enteric neurons in culture
Dr. Cheng’s central goal as a pediatric surgeon-scientist is to improve outcomes for children with Hirschsprung disease and other functional gastrointestinal diseases. To this end, the lab aims to better understand how the enteric nervous system regulates intestinal function.
The gastrointestinal tract is in a state of constant motion—the gut distends with food and the enteric nervous system helps propels it forward. This normal process is interrupted in diseases of the enteric nervous system, like Hirschsprung disease. The Cheng Lab aim to unravel the relationship between the enteric nervous system, the intestinal microenvironment, and biomechanical forces in order to find new and better treatments for these diseases.
Lab Members
Lily Cheng, MD – Principal Investigator – lilycheng@virginia.edu
Arabinda Mandal, PhD – Research Scientist
Chioma Moneme, MD – Research Fellow
Jacob Kaminer, BS, MD Candidate 2026 – Summer Student 2023