Watching life in real time beyond the cellular level – how the cytoskeleton regulates cell type diversity

Life is a constant state of change and movement. However, until recently it has been only possible to understand the process of life as static fixed structures. My lab is specialized in visualizing the cellular dynamics within intact organisms and tissues by using state-to-the art microscope technologies. Every cell has an internal skeleton composed of filament-like structures called microtubules. Remarkably, these structures can rapidly re-organize their entire network to allow a cell to change its shape, function and fate. The overall aim of the project is to image the remodelling of the microtubule cytoskeleton during the development of the living mammalian embryo, tissue formation and stem cell specification.