Chia-Ling Tu

My main research interests are in identifying and characterizing the molecular mechanisms underlying the calcium-dependent regulation of cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, and motility in epidermal keratinocytes. Research in my own lab has focused on the role of the extracellular calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR)-mediated intracellular signaling during skin wound repair and skin cancer. In collaboration with Drs. Wenhan Chang and Daniel Bikle, we generated critical tissue specific CaSR knockout mouse models to study how calcium drives basic cellular functions in physiological and pathological states. I am also involved in research activities in areas of mineral homeostasis, skeletal development, and G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling.