Aging is among the biggest risk factors of many diseases. By studying the aging condition and mitigating its effects, we can increase the body's overall resistance to pathology. The Hu Lab focuses on one of the major hallmarks of aging: the loss of stem cell function. We utilize dual fly and mouse barrier epithelial models to elucidate mechanisms of stem cell aging. Our philosophy is to utilize powerful genetic tools in the fly to efficiently identify biological concepts and targets, before applying them to a mouse model with higher relevance to human biology.  Specifically, we use live imaging strategies to dissect how age-associated effects on cell fate determination and stem cell migration contribute to regenerative decline.