Research in the laboratory is focused on the developmental biology of the pancreas in order to understand the guiding principles of pancreatic insulin-producing cells. These cells are either lost or damaged in Diabetes, and replacement of the insulin producing cell mass would constitute a possible cure of the disease. The laboratory combines mouse genetics and bioinformatics to address the function of signaling factors in pancreatic development. Interests of the Jensen laboratory include studies of the molecular mechanism of FGF10 signaling, adult pancreatic regeneration, and development of the stomach and intestine. The laboratory is part of the Diabetes Research Program at the LRI. The objective of this program is to form a multi-investigator task force seeking to employ knowledge in developmental biology to harness the regenerative potential of embryonic stem cells or pancreatic progenitor cells. Research within the areas of systems biology, mouse models of development, adult pancreatic regeneration, and embryonic stem cell technology is combined. The laboratory is part of the Chicago Project (www.thechicagoproject.org).