Cell and Tissue Dynamics

Cells integrate both physical and biochemical stimuli from their 3D tissue microenvironment that regulate tissue development, regeneration and homeostasis. Cellular dynamics such as growth, shape change, movement and specification are precisely controlled in embryonic and adult tissues and their de-regulation underlies various pathologies such as immune defects, congenital disorders or cancer metastasis.

Our lab is interested how cells process mechano-chemical information from their 3D tissue environment to modulate cellular morphodynamics and specification. We use Zebrafish embryos and primary progenitor stem cells as a model system to study environmental versus cell-intrinsic control mechanisms of cell polarization, shape change and migratory competence that drive complex tissue rearrangements and patterning in the embryo. In addition, we study the regulation of cellular dynamics during stress conditions that guarantee robustness in development and tissue homeostasis.

Our lab follows a highly interdisciplinary approach combining molecular and cell biological tools, and time lapse imaging, live-cell super resolution microscopy and perturbation methods to obtain quantitative information from molecular to cellular and tissue scales. We perform in vivo experiments along with biomimetic 3D in vitro culture assays that allow for reconstituting the complexity of cellular dynamics in minimalistic environments. We complement our experimental toolkit with the development of data processing tools, Monte Carlo simulations and modelling.

• Mechanosensitive cellular dynamics and motile cell transformations in 3D tissues
• Force-dependent regulation of the cellular cytoskeleton, nuclear architecture and signalling during cell fate specification
• Cell polarization and force feedback in collective cell migration and dynamic tissue shaping
• Robustness of development and phagocytic tissue clearance in early development and tissue homeostasis