John Wallingford

The process by which embryos acquire their final shape involves the coordination of cell fate decisions with cell movement. The Wallingford lab takes an integrated approach to understanding this process in chordate embryos. They combine molecular manipulations, time-lapse imaging, bioinformatics and even old-fashioned cut & paste embryology to investigate molecular signaling, individual cell behavior, and tissue rearrangement. By considering all of these components and how they affect the final body plan, the Wallingford group hopes to build a comprehensive picture of early embryonic morphogenesis.