Victor Hatini

Victor Hatini is an Associate Professor in the Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology at Tufts University School of Medicine. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms controlling epithelial morphogenesis, particularly using the Drosophila retina as a model system. He investigates the roles of adhesion molecules like Sidekick (Sdk) in coordinating contractile and protrusive forces during tissue organization. His work has revealed critical insights into tricellular adherens junction dynamics and their role in developmental processes.

Education:

• PhD, Cornell University, 1996
• MSc, Weizmann Institute of Science, 1991
• BSc, Hebrew University, 1989

Research Interests: Dr. Hatini studies how adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal networks regulate epithelial tissue organization. His lab explores pulsatile mechanical cycles in epithelial cells, focusing on Sidekick’s dual roles in modulating actomyosin contraction and actin branching. Current work emphasizes the formation and function of tricellular junctions, with implications for understanding diseases involving tissue disorganization.

Teaching & Mentoring: Dr. Hatini contributes extensively to graduate education at Tufts, directing core courses such as Cell Behavior and Molecular Cell Biology of Development. He has mentored 18 graduate students, 5 postdoctoral fellows, and 5 technicians, many of whom have pursued successful careers in academia, industry, and medicine. He also serves on NIH study sections supporting early-career researchers.

Awards:

• Tufts Collaborates Award (2014)

Grants: Active funding includes NIH grants investigating the WAVE regulatory complex in epithelial morphogenesis (2018–2023) and prior support for cellular interactions in patterning (2004–2009).

Labs & Teams: His laboratory at Tufts focuses on integrative approaches combining genetics, live imaging, and computational modeling to study epithelial dynamics. Collaborations emphasize bridging basic research with clinical relevance in tissue repair and disease.