Multicellular Pattern Formation Professors and Supervisors

Thibaut Brunetمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر

Pasteur InstituteFrance

Thibaut Brunet is a Researcher and Principal Investigator at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, leading the Evolutionary Cell Biology and Evolution of Morphogenesis laboratory within the Department of Cell Biology and Infection. He is affiliated with the Human Disease Models core facility and the Comparative Functional Genomics team. His research explores the cellular and molecular origins of animal multicellularity through the study of choanoflagellates. Institut Pasteur, Paris – Group Leader (G5), Department of Cell Biology and Infection (2021–present) University of California, Berkeley – Postdoctoral Fellow with Nicole King (2016–2021) EMBL Heidelberg – PhD with Detlev Arendt (2011–2016) École Normale Supérieure, Paris – Studies in Biology (2007–2011) His research focuses on understanding the evolution of morphogenesis, cell contractility, polarity, and collective behavior in choanoflagellates. Using interdisciplinary approaches from cell biology, developmental biology, biophysics, and molecular genetics, his lab investigates how unicellular ancestors of animals evolved multicellular traits. Key areas include the regulation of cell shape, environmental response, and the emergence of multicellular coordination. The recent publications of Dr. Brunet span evolutionary cell biology, biophysics, and developmental mechanisms. They reveal trends in the study of pre-animal systems, particularly the role of mechanical forces, signaling (e.g., nitric oxide), and structural dynamics (e.g., microvilli, cytoplasmic bridges) in the transition to multicellularity. His work often combines functional genetics with live imaging and physical modeling, especially in species like S. rosetta , M. brevicollis , and the recently discovered C. flexa . Scientific awards include: ERC Starting Grant (2022) Dr. Brunet advises a diverse team of post-doctoral fellows, PhD and master’s students, and visiting scientists. He is currently recruiting post-docs and interns, though new PhD students are not being accepted before 2025 due to lab capacity. His research is supported by competitive grants, including the ERC Starting Grant. He actively collaborates across disciplines and institutions, contributing to transversal projects such as the IP Stem Cell Initiative. His lab is part of the Human Disease Models core facility and engages in comparative functional genomics, leveraging advanced techniques such as CRISPR, live imaging, RNAseq, and innovative microscopy to study the biology of early-branching eukaryotes and their implications for understanding the origin of animal form and function.

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Kirsten ten Tusscherمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Utrecht UniversityNetherlands

Kirsten ten Tusscher is a Professor in Computational Developmental Biology at the Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, affiliated with the Department of Theoretical Biology. Her research integrates multiscale biological data using computational models to understand developmental and evolutionary processes in plants and animals. Her research interests include: Developmental and evolutionary patterning in multicellular organisms Computational modeling of regulatory networks Plant adaptation to environmental stress (salt, phosphate, light) Auxin signaling and transport in root development Evolution of body axis segmentation in animals In silico evolutionary models to study developmental program origins Her recent publications highlight a strong focus on plant developmental responses to environmental cues, particularly halotropism and lateral root formation, using integrative modeling. There is also a significant emphasis on auxin dynamics and its role in coordinating growth and adaptation. Earlier work includes cardiac tissue modeling, showing her broad application of computational approaches across biological systems. She has received the NWO Vidi Award in 2014, a competitive fellowship recognizing excellent researchers. Additional recognition includes high citation counts and media attention for her work on root salt avoidance published in Development . She is actively involved in teaching and academic service, supervising students, coordinating the Complexity Master Profile, and organizing the Summer School on Complex Systems. Her research is supported by major grants including NWO VIDI, NWO Building Blocks of Life, FP7 Evoevo, and UU Focus en Massa. She leads a research group focused on theoretical and computational biology, collaborating with experimentalists to validate and refine models. Her work contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to life sciences and sustainable food systems.

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Elise Cachatمشاهده پروفایل

مدرس ارشد

University of EdinburghUnited Kingdom

Elise Cachat is a Senior Lecturer in Synthetic Biology at the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences and serves as Director of Community and Culture at the Centre for Engineering Biology. As a Group Leader within the Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology (IQB3), she bridges fundamental research with industry applications and art-science collaborations. Education: PhD Microbiology, Heriot-Watt University (2001-2005) MPhil Organic Chemistry, Heriot-Watt University (2000-2001) Her research centers on mammalian synthetic biology with three core thrusts: engineering synthetic sensor circuits for disease pathway interrogation (e.g., cancer-macrophage interactions in metastasis), developing community toolkits like chromobodies and CRISPR systems, and addressing biotech industry challenges through engineered CHO cells and microalgae. She pioneers interdisciplinary work through BioArt projects exploring yeast-mammalian coexistence and speculative fiction about urban biotechnology. Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal strong interdisciplinary convergence, integrating synthetic biology with computer science (HCI), art, and industrial bioprocessing. Key trends include therapeutic receptor engineering, sustainable bioproduction, and ethical frameworks for cross-kingdom cellular systems. Scientific Awards: Nominated for Science Breakthrough of the Year 2024 in Art & Science category at Falling Walls Science Summit Dr. Cachat actively supervises five PhD students across theoretical and applied projects, supported by BBSRC funding and industry partnerships with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies and MiAlgae. Her MSc Synthetic Biology program trains next-generation engineers through hands-on tool development courses. She leads the Cachat Lab within the UK Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology, fostering collaborations between biologists, artists, and social scientists through initiatives like 'Crossing Kingdom' and 'Biopolis', which explore societal implications of engineered biological systems.

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Lars Dietrichمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Columbia UniversityUnited States

Lars Dietrich is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, with additional affiliations at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and California Institute of Technology. His research focuses on bacterial multicellularity, particularly studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and the mechanisms of bacterial shape and pattern formation. His research interests span Microbiology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Stem Cell Biology, Structural Biology, Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Biochemistry, Genomics, Computational Biology, and Systems Biology . A key focus is understanding how bacterial communities organize themselves and how metabolic processes influence biofilm structure and function. His lab has made significant contributions to understanding the role of redox metabolism and phenazine-mediated electron transfer in bacterial community morphogenesis. Professor Dietrich's recent publications (2022-2025) show a consistent focus on biofilm physiology, with particular attention to metabolic heterogeneity, oxygen gradients, and the relationship between bacterial arrangement and antibiotic tolerance. His work often employs advanced imaging techniques to visualize metabolic activity within bacterial communities. Hypothesis Fund Seed Grant for research on javelin-like structures in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Professor Dietrich actively advises graduate students and has numerous publications with student co-authors, indicating a strong commitment to mentorship. His lab has received funding that supports innovative research without preliminary data, suggesting recognition of the high-risk, high-reward nature of his scientific approach. The Dietrich Lab maintains an active research program studying bacterial multicellularity, with particular focus on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. The lab utilizes advanced imaging techniques including light-sheet microscopy and electrochemical sensors to study metabolic activity within bacterial communities.

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Kara McCloskeyمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

University of California, MercedUnited States

Kara McCloskey is a Professor and Department Chair in Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of California, Merced's School of Engineering. Her research focuses on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, particularly using stem cells to develop cardiovascular therapies. Education: Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (2001) from Ohio State University and Cleveland Clinic Foundation; M.S. (1999) and B.S. (1996) in Chemical Engineering from Ohio State University. McCloskey's work addresses challenges in deriving and characterizing pure stem cell populations for regenerative applications, comparing their function to mature in vivo cells. She explores engineered cardiac tissue, vascular development, and mechanical interactions in multicellular networks. Her recent publications emphasize tissue engineering trends such as endothelial cell heterogeneity , mechanical signaling in vascular networks , and bioprinting with concentration gradients . These studies integrate biomechanics, stem cell biology, and biomaterials design. Her academic service includes leadership in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering and affiliations with the Quantitative and Systems Biology and Materials and Biomaterials Science and Engineering graduate groups.

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David Brücknerمشاهده پروفایل

استادیار

University of BaselSwitzerland

David Brückner is an Assistant Professor of Theoretical Biophysics at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Switzerland, where he leads a research group investigating the physics of living systems. Appointed in April 2025, he develops theoretical frameworks to understand how cellular interactions govern multicellular organization during development. His work bridges statistical physics, soft matter theory, and developmental biology to address fundamental questions about information processing in biological systems. Brückner's research focuses on stochastic dynamics in developmental systems , exploring how cells make reliable decisions despite biological noise. He investigates Mechanical and biochemical information transmission in tissues Cellular memory mechanisms in confined migration General physical principles across developmental systems Self-organization in multicellular structures His approach combines biophysical modeling with information theory and machine learning to connect theoretical predictions with experimental data. His recent publications reveal groundbreaking insights into cellular memory during migration, hyperdisordered biological packing, and information flow in developmental systems. Notable work published in Nature Physics (2025) demonstrates how the actin cortex serves as a mechanical memory enabling efficient navigation through confined spaces – crucial for understanding wound healing and cancer metastasis. Brückner's scientific achievements have been recognized through prestigious awards including an ERC Starting Grant (2025), the Gustav Hertz Prize (2022), and an EMBO Long-Term Fellowship (2022). His research is supported by international collaborations with experimental laboratories worldwide. As a newly established group leader, Brückner actively recruits PhD students and postdoctoral researchers for his ERC-funded "InfoFate" project, which investigates how cells integrate dynamical, neighborhood, and mechanical signals to make fate decisions. His laboratory employs interdisciplinary approaches combining theoretical physics with cutting-edge biological data.

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Alex Schierمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

University of BaselSwitzerland

Prof. Dr. Alex Schier is a Swiss/US scientist and Director of the Biozentrum, University of Basel , where he leads research on vertebrate development and sleep regulation . He previously served as the Leo Erikson Life Sciences Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University (2005–2019) and held academic roles at NYU School of Medicine (1996–2005). Research Focus: Embryonic development, sleep/wakefulness mechanisms, single-cell lineage tracing, and Nodal signaling in morphogenesis. Methods: Genetic, genomic, biophysical, and microscopic approaches in zebrafish and mice. Scientific Leadership: He is a member of EMBO, served on editorial boards (Science, Developmental Cell), and directed the Allan Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing . Recent awards include an ERC Advanced Grant (2020–2024) and NIH MERIT/Pioneer Awards. Publications highlight advances in single-cell technologies , sleep-related neuropeptides , and evolutionary developmental biology . His lab collaborates on projects like brain-wide transcriptomics and optogenetic signaling control .

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Claudius Kratochwilمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

University of HelsinkiFinland

Claudius Kratochwil is an Associate Professor at the University of Helsinki's Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) and a supervisor for doctoral programs in Wildlife Biology and Integrative Life Science. He leads the Integrative Evolutionary Biology (IEB) lab, focusing on the genomic, developmental, and cellular mechanisms driving coloration diversity in tropical fish. Postdoctoral Fellow & Project Leader, University of Konstanz (2013–2020) Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Friedrich Miescher Institute & University of Basel (2008–2013) Diploma in Biology, University of Freiburg (2004–2008) His research explores evolutionary biology through cichlid fish coloration, linking genotype-phenotype associations to speciation and phenotypic diversification. Recent work examines neural innervation's role in color change and Evo-Devo principles in tissue formation. Key trends in publications include studies on genomic divergence , convergent evolution , and neurodevelopment in cichlid fishes, supported by grants from the European Commission and Research Council of Finland. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships: European Fellowships (2025–2027) Academy Research Fellow (2022–2027) He has delivered invited talks on color pattern evolution at institutions like the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) and contributed to 43 peer-reviewed publications.

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H. Steven Wileyمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر

Paul Drude Institute for Solid State ElectronicsGermany

H. Steven Wiley serves as a Lead Scientist in Systems Biology at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he is affiliated with the Environmental Molecular Sciences Division and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) user program. With over 200 scientific publications including more than 130 peer-reviewed journal articles, Dr. Wiley has established himself as a leading figure in systems biology research. Dr. Wiley's research focuses on understanding the systems-level design principles underlying regulatory networks in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, with particular emphasis on how these networks become dysfunctional in diseases like cancer. His recent work leverages CRISPR-based technologies combined with proteomics, gene expression, and biochemical assays to build improved mechanistic models of signaling and metabolic networks. This research requires developing scalable computational infrastructure for integrating multidimensional datasets and advancing analytical technologies. His publication record shows a consistent focus on cellular signaling pathways, particularly the EGFR-MAPK pathway, with recent work expanding into single-cell analysis, cancer heterogeneity, and drug resistance mechanisms. The evolution of his research demonstrates a trajectory from fundamental signaling mechanisms toward increasingly complex systems-level questions with translational implications. Award for Distinguished Technical Communication (2011) Faculty of 1000 Member for Cell Biology (2011) Elected AAAS Fellow (2005) R&D 100 Award for designing single-chain antibody library in a yeast-display system (2004) Laboratory Fellow, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (2000) National Institutes of Health Research Career Development Award (1988–1993) Dr. Wiley has served as an associate editor of Frontiers in Genetics and sits on the editorial boards of The Scientist and BMC Biology. He has reviewed for more than 30 scientific journals, demonstrating his significant contributions to scientific discourse. His work at PNNL's EMSL facility positions him at the intersection of cutting-edge experimental technologies and computational modeling approaches.

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Michael Elowitzمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Max Planck Florida Institute for NeuroscienceUnited States

Michael Elowitz is a Professor of Biology, Bioengineering, and Applied Physics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and an HHMI Investigator, appointed since 2003 after completing his academic training. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton University (1999) and postdoctoral research at the Rockefeller University. Dr. Elowitz's research pioneers the quantitative analysis of genetic circuit design principles in living cells. He founded synthetic biology through the Repressilator—a three-gene repressor circuit generating clock-like oscillations in bacteria—and systematically investigated how stochastic noise governs cellular decision-making, differentiation, and developmental evolution. Current work integrates synthetic biology with multicellular signaling, memory mechanisms, and pattern formation dynamics. His major recognitions include: Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering Searle Scholars Award MacArthur Fellowship ("Genius Grant") HFSP Nakasone Award for interdisciplinary life sciences As an HHMI Investigator, Dr. Elowitz directs substantial research funding toward innovative projects exploring fundamental biological principles. His laboratory at Caltech serves as a hub for quantitative systems biology, training researchers in experimental and theoretical approaches to genetic networks. The Elowitz Lab maintains active research programs in synthetic circuit engineering, noise quantification in gene expression, and developmental patterning mechanisms across bacterial and eukaryotic systems.

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