Cell fate and morphogenesis in the larval airway system
Dynamics in small cell clusters: germline specification
Quantification and modeling of mitotic waves in Drosophila
Structure analysis and MD simulations of kinase-kinase signaling
Early cleavage divisions and cell fate decisions
Modeling the formation and decline of the mammalian ovarian reserve.
We integrate experiments and modeling to track developmental dynamics at molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal levels.
We quantify signaling reactions and protein–protein interactions to reveal how timing and specificity are encoded. Precision biochemistry pairs with structural modeling and Molecular Dynamics simulations to link sequence to function and design targeted perturbations.
We investigate the role that cytoplasmic streaming plays in organizing the large Drosophila oocyte. We study questions of transport, mixing, and flow structure as a function of cell shape. We develop 3D live lightsheet imaging techniques to track tracer particles during cytoplasmic streaming and we compare the streamlines to predictions from modeling. We show that the flow rotates around the long axis of the cell as predicted by simulations.
From time-lapse movies of embryogenesis, we measure tissue deformations from the local dynamics of cell clusters. We connect local measures, such as strain, to distinct morphological domains in the developing embryo.
We use experimental and computational models to demonstrate how mechanical forces within developing tissues shape the form and function of the whole organism. The results lay the groundwork for understanding how organs and tissues take shape in embryos across many species.
We develop mathematical models to computationally fuse partial observations, such as expression measurements of individual genes, to reconstruct complex developmental dynamics of cell fate decisions and tissue morphologies. Our general approach allows for the integration of data from diverse technologies yielding otherwise inaccessible views into fundamental processes across organisms.
By studying how specific biological systems function and developing appropriate methods, we often gain insights into broader biological and physical principles.
Developmental Dynamics and CCB are hiring! We are looking for excellent postdoc candidates (apply here).
