Pavak Shah

Pavak Shah is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology at UCLA's College of Life Sciences. He co-affiliates with the Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio). His laboratory develops advanced imaging and computational methods to study fundamental processes in organismal development.

Research Focus:

• Development of Behavior: Maps neuronal circuit emergence in C. elegans embryos using quantitative imaging, genetics, and single-cell manipulations.
• Temporal Regulation of Cell Fate: Investigates cell cycle timing as a regulatory input for stem cell decisions via genetic perturbations and temperature-controlled microscopy.
• Evolution of Development: Builds comparative developmental maps across nematode species using machine learning and spatial transcriptomics, developing automated lineage-tracing tools.

Publication Trends: Shah's recent work (2020-2025) centers on: 1) Novel microscopy techniques (label-free imaging, traction force microscopy), 2) Quantitative analysis of developmental heterogeneity, 3) Immune cell biomechanics, and 4) Genetic regulators of neural development in C. elegans. His lab consistently pioneers interdisciplinary approaches integrating biophysics, computation, and genetics.

Lab & Resources: The Shah Lab focuses on C. elegans models and develops open-source tools for automated cell lineage reconstruction. Collaborative projects utilize microfabricated platforms for cell sorting and analysis.