Gene regulation and morphogenesis

During embryonic development, a single cell must generate the correct cell types in the right positions and at the right times to create a healthy human being. This is a complex and dynamic process in which cells constantly interact and interpret dynamic signals to create precise patterns. However, we still don't fully understand how these processes are coordinated and controlled.

Due to ethical and technical constraints, answering these questions in vivo remains a challenge. However, recent developments in stem cell culture provide a new window into human development.

With a multidisciplinary mindset, our lab leverages quantitative experimental studies with human pluripotent stem cells, bioengineering techniques, and novel approaches in mathematical modeling to study cell fate decisions and patterning processes during human development.


       

Our lab has a focus on understanding embryonic-extraembryonic tissue interactions and how they lead to and coordinate gastrulation, the state at which the three germ layers emerge and the embryo's head-to-tail axis is defined for the first time.

Sy(stem)s Developmental Biology Lab website