Research

Over the course of evolution, organisms have developed variations in their cell-cycle programs to be able to generate and maintain a plethora of different cell types and tissues. Our lab uses a variety of model systems, such as the nematode C. elegans, as well as in vitro culture systems, to address fundamental questions in cell-cycle control during development and tissue formation. Current projects include:

Cell-cycle changes in development

Most of our knowledge on cell-cycle control stems from studies performed in unicellular systems, such as yeast or mammalian cells in culture, and we know surprisingly little on how cell cycles are controlled within the context of a multicellular organism. For example, how do different cell types cycle at different speeds? And why do some cell types permanently arrest or exit the cell cycle, while other cell types transition to non-canonical cell cycles? In our lab we make use of the nematode C. elegans and mammalian organoid systems to understand how cell-cycle changes are orchestrated during multicellular development.

Research questions we are currently adressing:

How do cells transition from canonical to non-canonical cell cycles during development?
How are the cell-cycle timings of different cell types controlled during development?
How do heterochronic factors control cell-division patterning?

Function of polyploidy in development and disease

Although most animal species are diploid, many tissues and cell types within animals are polyploid, i.e. they contain more than two copies of their DNA. Polyploidy can arise by cell fusion, or alternatively, by endoreplication or endomitosis, two non-canonical cell cycles that lead to the replication of DNA without cell division. It is currently largely unclear why certain cell types become polyploid, and what the functional importance is of polyploidy for tissue homeostasis. Moreover, polyploidization is also often observed under pathological conditions, as it can arise as a response to stress or cell division failures. Our lab is interested in understanding the function of polyploidy in normal physiology and the consequences of cell polyploidization in diseases such as cancer.

Research questions we are currently addressing:

What are the functional differences between naturally occurring polyploid cells, and cells that become polyploid by cell-division failure?
What are the consequences of polyploidization on RNA transcription and translation?