Professor Erez Raz serves as Director of the Institute of Cell Biology at the University of Münster and is affiliated with the Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE). He is a prominent member of the Cluster of Excellence "Cells in Motion" and serves on the board of the CiM-IMPRS graduate program. His research group "AG Raz: Cell biology in vivo - Germ-cell development" investigates fundamental mechanisms of cell migration in living organisms. Professor Raz's research focuses on cell migration, cell-fate maintenance, and organogenesis within live vertebrate embryos. His laboratory primarily employs zebrafish as a model organism due to its transparent embryos that develop externally, enabling high-resolution live imaging of cellular processes. His work has revealed critical mechanisms of how cells navigate within developing organisms, with significant implications for understanding pathological conditions like cancer metastasis and inflammatory processes where cell migration becomes dysregulated. His recent publications demonstrate a sustained focus on molecular mechanisms controlling germ cell migration, including the roles of RNA-binding proteins like Dnd1, bleb formation dynamics, mitochondrial regulation of germ cell fitness, and tissue microenvironment influences on cell protrusion types. His research uniquely integrates approaches from cell biology, biophysics, genetics, and mathematical modeling to gain comprehensive insights into cellular migration dynamics. Over 100 publications spanning two decades Extensive collaborations across disciplines Methodological innovations in cell imaging and manipulation Professor Raz has successfully mentored numerous doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations between biologists, physicists, mathematicians, and clinicians. His laboratory has developed innovative techniques for cell ablation, mRNA labeling, and in vivo manipulations using optical tweezers, contributing significantly to methodological advances in the field. His laboratory participates in the Multiscale Imaging Centre and the "Cells in Motion" research network, providing access to state-of-the-art imaging capabilities for studying cellular dynamics at multiple scales, from molecular interactions to whole-organism development.
