Intestinal helminths establish invasive, chronic infections yet are remarkably well tolerated, often causing minimal overt disease despite their tissue-damaging potential. Although their immunomodulatory effects are well established, how helminths regulate the intestinal stem-cell niche and epithelium remains under explored.

The intestinal stem-cell niche sustains epithelial renewal and regeneration, supporting a barrier essential for defense against enteric pathogens and tissue integrity. Disruption of this barrier is a hallmark of inflammatory and infectious intestinal diseases.

Helminth infections therefore provide a model for investigating coevolved mechanisms that limit injury and promote tissue repair. Our laboratory leverages this host–parasite relationship to define integrated tissue responses to injury and identify therapeutic strategies for intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases.