Mammalian development and disease
Our laboratory studies the mechanisms regulating mammalian embryonic development. How cells differentiate is a fundamental question in developmental biology. We study how pluripotent stem cells known as epiblast begin to differentiate into mesoderm, one of the three primordial cell layers in the embryo. The mesoderm generates a variety of cell types in order give rise to a number of tissues and organs such as heart, muscle, bone, blood, kidney etc. We focus on mechanisms that underlie the earliest step in the differentiation of mesoderm.
Our laboratory uses mouse genetics approaches since 2012. Recently, from 2020, we have been using the cutting-edge, stem cell-based, self-organizing, 3D embryo organoids known as gastruloids. We have developed novel gastruloid models, which allow us to study how mesoderm diversifies into distinct subtypes along the head-tail body axis. Our ongoing work uncovers the developmental mechanism generating head/heart mesoderm.
Another major interest in our laboratory is to develop stem cell-based models for congenital heart diseases. We leverage our understanding of early head/heart mesoderm development to design and develop methods for generating cardiac organoids, which contain all the distinct types of cardiomyocytes such as atrial, ventricular, septum cells, pacemakers and cells of the conduction system. Various heart diseases affect specific cardiomyocyte cell type. Thus, developing a model, which represents the complexity of the mammalian heart will allow us to model these diseases faithfully.
In essence, our laboratory's program is anchored in developmental biology. The avenues created by this enterprise allows us to tackle human disease.
Funding and Support
Our laboratory uses mouse genetics approaches since 2012. Recently, from 2020, we have been using the cutting-edge, stem cell-based, self-organizing, 3D embryo organoids known as gastruloids. We have developed novel gastruloid models, which allow us to study how mesoderm diversifies into distinct subtypes along the head-tail body axis. Our ongoing work uncovers the developmental mechanism generating head/heart mesoderm.
Another major interest in our laboratory is to develop stem cell-based models for congenital heart diseases. We leverage our understanding of early head/heart mesoderm development to design and develop methods for generating cardiac organoids, which contain all the distinct types of cardiomyocytes such as atrial, ventricular, septum cells, pacemakers and cells of the conduction system. Various heart diseases affect specific cardiomyocyte cell type. Thus, developing a model, which represents the complexity of the mammalian heart will allow us to model these diseases faithfully.
In essence, our laboratory's program is anchored in developmental biology. The avenues created by this enterprise allows us to tackle human disease.
Funding and Support