Ariel Pani

Ariel Pani is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Virginia. His research focuses on developmental biology, particularly using the C. elegans model organism to study cell migration, signaling pathways, and organogenesis. He leads the Pani Lab, which explores processes such as FGF-dependent muscle progenitor migration and Wnt signaling dynamics.

Education

• B.A., Cornell University, College Scholar in Organismal Biology (2004)
• Ph.D., University of Chicago, Evolutionary Biology (2013)
• Postdoctoral Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2013–2019)

His research interests include molecular mechanisms of cell behavior, evolutionary developmental processes, and the role of transcription factors in cellular decisions. His lab has developed novel genetic tools for studying Notch and Wnt signaling pathways in vivo.

Publications highlight his work on C. elegans organogenesis, microtubule dynamics during meiosis, and the molecular characterization of nervous systems in hemichordates. He collaborates widely, with studies often involving interdisciplinary approaches to developmental biology.

The Pani Lab is equipped to investigate cellular processes using advanced microscopy, CRISPR-based genome engineering, and transcriptome analysis. Ongoing projects aim to unravel how physical forces and molecular signals coordinate during development.