Molecular Embryology

The focus of our research is to reveal signaling mechanisms that control cell polarity and movement in physiological relevant embryonic systems. A major research interest is the analysis of morphogenetic cell movements like for example the migration of neural crest cells. In particular, we are interested in dynamic cell-cell contacts affecting the plasticity of membranes as well as chromatin regulators with a function in human syndromes like CHARGE and Kabuki. Our preferred model system is the frog, Xenopus laevis, which is ideally suited to analyze early development as it offers large quantities of embryos, easy gain- and loss-of-function analyses and transplant/explant assays to monitor cell-cell communication using state of the art time-lapse imaging.