معرفی
Dr. Melanie White is a Senior Research Fellow and Group Leader of the Dynamics of Morphogenesis Lab at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland. Her research focuses on understanding the dynamic mechanisms of tissue formation and cell fate determination in vivo, particularly during neural tube development. She investigates how molecular events, cellular properties, and mechanical forces integrate to drive embryonic morphogenesis, with a specific interest in neural tube defects (NTDs). Her work utilizes live imaging techniques in avian embryos and human induced pluripotent stem cell models to study actomyosin networks, mechanotransduction, and tissue-scale forces.
Dr. White leads a multidisciplinary team including Senior Research Fellows, Postdoctoral Researchers, and PhD students such as Marise van der Spuy and Amber Driessen. Her lab emphasizes collaborative training environments and has received recognition such as the 2023 Nikon Small World in Motion Competition Honorable Mention.
Key research directions include:
- Actomyosin remodelling in neural tube formation
- Mechanotransduction pathways influencing neural cell fate
- Genetic and mechanical causes of NTDs
Dr. White's publications span developmental biology, biophysics, and imaging innovations, with recent work exploring avian embryo mechanics and microtubule-driven cancer invasion.
