Welcome to the Helker lab

The cardiovascular system is the first organ system to form in our body. The formation of a network of blood vessels is not only essential for the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the organs of our body, but also plays an important role in various diseases such as cancer and stroke. Despite the importance of the cardiovascular system, the signals that regulate its formation are not yet fully understood.

Our research group aims to elucidate the signaling pathways that influence endothelial cell migration and lead to the formation of a three-dimensional network of blood vessels. Since the underlying cell biological and developmental processes are conserved across all vertebrates, we use the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism.