How cells receive signals from their environment and how they interpret this information, whether to mount a response or not, is a fundamental problem in biology. Frequently, during development, cells are exposed to different levels of signals, or morphogens. In some cases, cells will respond only when signals are above a certain threshold level. We are studying one such cellular response, where cells respond above a certain threshold level by activation of a specific genetic program.

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Genevieve Dupont (https://utc.ulb.be/home.html)

Sophie de Buyl (https://researchportal.vub.be/en/persons/sophie-de-buyl)

Yutaka Satou (https://kdb.iimc.kyoto-u.ac.jp/profile/en.9b27a60d6059b0e6.htm)

Richard Copley (https://lbdv.imev-mer.fr/en/research/teams/genome/)

Sebastien Schaub (https://lbdv.imev-mer.fr/en/research/research-support-services/imaging/)

Patrick Lemaire (https://www.crbm.cnrs.fr/patrick-lemaire/?lang=en)

Ute Röthbacher (https://www.uibk.ac.at/zoology/staff/rothbaecher/)

Techniques currently being used in the lab:

Quantitative in situ fluorescence immunostaining

Quantitative in situ hybridisation (smFISH and HCR FISH)

Image analyses (Imaris, Image J, Amira)

Whole embryo in silico reconstruction

Biosensor tracking of cell signalling

Computational modelling of developmental signalling pathways (in collaboration with the groups of Genevieve Dupont and Sophie de Buyl).

RNA seq and single cell RNA seq

Molecular biology/biochemistry (molecular cloning, western blot, PCR)

Binary cell fate switches during mesendoderm formation and the roles of the ERK and beta-catenin signalling pathways during these processes.

Main publications from this project

Patterning of the developing central nervous system and the roles of Nodal, Delta-Notch, BMP and ERK-pathway during this process.

Main publications from this project