How cells decide what to become: exploring diversity in the developing spinal cord

This is a summer student position supervised by Eleftheria Parasyraki in James Briscoe's lab.

Introduction to the science

In our lab, we study how embryos produce the right cells in the right place at the right time. To do this, we work on the developing spinal cord—a key part of the central nervous system that gives rise to many different types of neurons and glia in a highly organised manner. We investigate how genes interact to control cell identity, and how these interactions build the structures of the nervous system. Understanding these processes not only reveals fundamental rules of neural tissue formation, but also helps guide the design of better treatments for nervous system diseases.

About the project

In this summer project, you will explore the spatial and temporal cues that shape cell identity in the developing spinal cord. Although many individual factors have been identified, we still do not understand how positional information (“where a cell is”) and timing signals (“when it develops”) work together to produce specific cell types. This project aims to uncover some of the key transcription factors and epigenetic regulators that help cells “know” what to become and when.

You will gain hands-on experience with a range of widely used and cutting-edge techniques, including embryonic stem cell culture and directed differentiation, gene knockouts, molecular biology assays, immunofluorescence, advanced microscopy, and flow cytometry. This project will give you direct exposure to developmental biology, stem cell models, and molecular biology—providing a strong foundation for future research in cell and developmental biology.[1, 2]

Candidate background