Angelike Stathopoulos

Angelike Stathopoulos is a Professor of Biology and Director of the Center for Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). She holds a B.A. from the University of California (1992) and a Ph.D. from Stanford University (1998). Her research focuses on cis-regulatory mechanisms driving embryonic patterning and tissue development in Drosophila, including how transcription factors interact at cis-regulatory modules and coordinate temporal actions of non-contiguous DNA elements. Her lab also investigates how embryonic cell patterning influences cell behaviors during migration and differentiation.

Key research areas include enhancer action dynamics, FGF signaling in cell migration, and the interplay between gene regulation and morphogenesis. Her work combines genetics, live imaging, and quantitative approaches to dissect developmental processes. Notable contributions include studies on Dorsal nuclear gradient dynamics, collective cell migration mechanisms, and the role of cis-regulatory modules in spatiotemporal gene expression.

Stathopoulos has directed the Stathopoulos Lab at Caltech since 2005, leading a team of researchers exploring developmental biology’s molecular underpinnings. Her findings have advanced understanding of embryo patterning, morphogen gradients, and gene regulatory networks. Grants and collaborations support her lab’s investigations into developmental precision and plasticity.

Her lab’s outreach and teaching activities emphasize bridging fundamental research with educational initiatives. The lab website highlights ongoing projects in embryonic gene expression, enhancer coordination, FGF signaling, and collective cell migration.