The Molecular and Cellular Basis of Embryonic Morphogenesis
The process by which embryos acquire their final shape involves the coordination of cell fate decisions with cell movement. We are taking an integrated approach to understanding this process in chordate embryos. We combine molecular manipulations, time-lapse imaging, bioinformatics and even old-fashioned cut & paste embryology to investigate molecular signaling, individual cell behavior, and tissue rearrangement. By considering all of these components and how they affect the final body plan, we hope to build a comprehensive picture of early embryonic morphogenesis.
Current Projects include:
- Molecular regulation of neural tube closure in Xenopus and mouse.
- Planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling and ciliogenesis.
- Shroom-family proteins and control of the cytoskeleton.
- In vivo time-lapse imaging of cell behaviors during morphogenesis.
- Novel insights into the developmental control of cell division.
- Computational approaches for developmental biology.
- Xenopus laevis genome sequencing.
- Gene-targeting methods for Xenopus using bacterial Group-II mobile introns.
Current Records being played include:
1. ZZ Top - La Futura
2. Richie Havens - The Best of Richie Havens
3. Gary Clark Jr. - Black and Blu
4. Amanda Cevallos - I'll Never Honky Tonk You
5. The Pogues - If I Fall from Grace with God