Patterning in mammalian embryos and synthetic embryos

Correct patterning and development of many mammalian tissues depends on the activity on cis-regulatory interactions at ultra-long range. We are interested to understand how such long range regulatory interactions are established, and how they derive specificity. Several examples we are studying in the lab include distal enhancers for Pitx1 expression in posterior limbs (300 kb), distal enhancers of Myc (700 […]

Roles of 3D genome organization in cell differentiation and embryonic

We are interested to learn to what extent changes in 3D genome folding facilitate changes in cell fate during development, using both fly and mouse development as a model system.  In Drosophila, distinct levels of 3 posterior Hox genes specify the anterior-posterior cell identities in the 10 most posterior segments of the animal. The three genes are positioned next to […]