Overview

The Cellular and Molecular Physiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Laboratory of Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., at Mayo Clinic studies the regulation of gastrointestinal motility in cells and disease models. The lab translates its discoveries into improved treatment of disorders affecting the digestive system, including gastroparesis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic constipation.

Dr. Farrugia's lab is discovering targeted disease-modifying agents using state-of-the-art techniques to develop new strategies to treat these diseases. Methods used include:

  • High-resolution imaging.
  • Ion channel activity recording.
  • Next-generation sequencing.
  • Cellular and tissue models of disease.

Dr. Farrugia's research team goal is to restore the gastrointestinal tract to normal function. Understanding the mechanisms of normal gastrointestinal function and the defects that result in disease is vital to discovering rational strategies to treat symptoms of disease and reverse the underlying defect.

Resources

Affiliations

Dr. Farrugia's Cellular and Molecular Physiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Laboratory is an integral part of the Enteric Neuroscience Program at Mayo Clinic. The lab also works closely with these gastrointestinal health research groups and organizations:

The Cellular and Molecular Physiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Laboratory also is affiliated with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases' Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium (GpCRC).

Research in Dr. Farrugia's lab is funded by multiple long-standing grants from the National Institutes of Health and other foundations.