Clare Baker

Clare Baker is a Professor of Comparative Developmental Neurobiology at the University of Cambridge, affiliated with the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience under the School of Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on the embryonic origins and evolutionary development of neurogenic placodes and the neural crest, which form the peripheral nervous system in vertebrates.

• University of Cambridge (2023–Present)
• Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Current work in her lab investigates the formation of lateral line electroreceptors as a model for sensory cell-type diversification in development and evolution. She examines how electroreceptors evolved from mechanosensory hair cells, using species like lampreys, skates, axolotls, and catfish to study embryological origins and gene expression patterns.

Analysis of her 15 most recent articles shows a strong focus on sensory organ development, with keywords spanning Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, and Evolutionary Biology. Subfields include electroreceptor genetics, neural crest derivatives, sensory cell diversification, and comparative embryology across vertebrate species.

While no specific scientific awards are listed, her collaborations with researchers like Marianne Bronner, Jason Gallant, and Andrew Gillis highlight her leadership in cross-institutional studies. Her publications emphasize Notch signaling, Foxg1 repression, and transcriptional profiling in sensory organ development.

Her research group also explores olfactory ensheathing glia, hypoxia-sensitive cells, and gill arch homology, with implications for understanding both normal development and evolutionary transitions in vertebrates.