The research group Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Biology (Frye Lab) investigates how endothelial signaling and mechanical cues regulate cardiovascular and lymphatic vessel development, remodeling, and function in health and disease.

Endothelial cells form the inner lining of blood and lymphatic vessels and play central roles in organ development, tissue homeostasis, and disease progression. These cells continuously integrate biochemical signals with mechanical information from their microenvironment, including tissue stiffness, extracellular matrix composition, flow, and cell-cell interactions. Understanding how endothelial cells sense and respond to these cues is essential for deciphering the mechanisms that govern vascular growth, maturation, and adaptation.

Our research focuses on the interplay between endothelial signaling pathways, tissue mechanics, and intercellular communication in the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems. We are particularly interested in how endothelial cells instruct the behavior of surrounding cell types, including cardiomyocytes, and how disruptions in these processes contribute to developmental abnormalities, cardiovascular disease, lymphatic dysfunction, and tissue remodeling.

To address these questions, we combine advanced imaging approaches, tissue mechanics measurements, genetic mouse models, single-cell and spatial omics technologies, and innovative 3R-compliant human cell-based models. By integrating molecular, cellular, and biomechanical analyses, we aim to identify fundamental mechanisms that regulate vascular and cardiac biology and to uncover novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular and lymphatic diseases.