The general objective of my laboratory is to better understand the genetics, molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in mesenchymal-epithelial cross talk in the gut. Our focus is predominantly to analyze the role of the Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) signaling pathway in the development, in the control of proliferation and in the differentiation of gut epithelial cells. The identification of new genes or factors having key roles in signalization from the mesenchyme to the epithelium will allow a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating gut physiopathologies such as inflammatory bowel diseases and tumorigenesis.