In the Jones lab, our primary interest is in identifying conserved mechanisms that are involved in regulating stem cell behavior. To address such questions, my lab employs the Drosophila male germ line and intestine, as well as human intestinal tissue and 3D organoids, as model systems. We combine forward genetics, candidate approaches, genomics, and biochemistry to identify and characterize mechanisms that regulate the choice between stem cell self-renewal and initiation of differentiation, with a particular focus on the role of the local microenvironment, known as the “niche”. Once mechanisms that regulate stem cell behavior are identified, we evaluate how these mechanisms are altered byorganismal aging and chronic and acute changes in metabolism. Furthermore, we are particularly interested in understanding how dysregulation of stem cell behavior is linked to degenerative and/or age-onset diseases.