Dynamics of Morphogenesis Lab

Welcome to the Dynamics of Morphogenesis Lab in the Institute of Molecular Bioscience. We are based at The University of Queensland in sunny Brisbane, Australia.

Research overview

The brain and the spinal cord control most of the functions of the body and the mind, yet the dynamics of how they first form is poorly understood. Both structures arise from a common precursor, the neural tube, which forms very early in embryonic development. To generate the forces that sculpt and shape the neural tube, changes in cellular architecture must be tightly coordinated in space and time. These morphological rearrangements occur concurrently with biochemical signalling pathways that specify early neural cell fates.

Our research aims to understand how cellular properties and transcriptional regulators interact with mechanical forces in real time to direct vertebrate neural tube formation and neural cell fate specification. We study the dynamics of neural tube formation by applying advanced quantitative imaging technologies in transgenic avian models and human stem cell models.

Funding opportunities to do a PhD in the lab

The University of Queensland offers both domestic and international scholarships for PhD research. These are highly competitive so please contact Dr Mel White to discuss potential projects and formulate the best possible application. More information is available here:

https://scholarships.uq.edu.au/scholarship/graduate-school-scholarships-uqgss-%E2%80%93-includes-rtp