Heather McCauley

Dr. Heather McCauley is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology. Her research focuses on enteroendocrine cell biology, exploring their role in nutrient sensing and intestinal homeostasis through human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids. Key affiliations include:

• Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease (CGIBD)
• Nutrition Obesity Research Center
• Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
• BBSP Graduate Program

Research areas span intestinal stem cell dynamics, hormonal regulation of metabolism, and organoid-based disease modeling, with recent work analyzing barrier function, crypt signaling, and immune cell integration in intestinal systems. Scientific recognition includes the 2023 Pilot and Feasibility Award. Lab activities highlight human organoid transplantation projects and nutrient adaptation studies since 2023.