We are investigating the cellular and molecular genetic mechanisms underlying vertebrate gastrulation, a crucial period of embryogenesis during which the germ layers are formed and then shaped into the vertebrate body plan with organ rudiments. During gastrulation, a series of inductive events that specify cell identities and massive cell movements fashion the body plan. The complex and dynamic nature of gastrulation makes it a challenging but intellectually fascinating object of study. In humans, 25-50% of pregnancies end in early miscarriages of largely unknown genetic origin. Moreover, the molecular regulation of tumor growth and metastasis show striking parallels to those underlying gastrulation movements, underscoring the practical significance of gastrulation research.
We are addressing the mechanisms of gastrulation in the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a system that affords a powerful combination of forward and reverse genetic analyses with embryological, cellular and molecular methods and also in human embryonic stem cells. We are also employing embryonic stem cells and tumor cell lines to test whether the new genes and mechanisms we implicate in zebrafish gastrulation are also involved in human development and disease. Our current experiments are focused on the roles of the Wnt, Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity, Stat3 and G-protein coupled receptor signaling pathways and epigenetic factors in the regulation of embryonic polarity and gastrulation movements.
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Recent News
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Welcome to Matt Atehortua, Research Technician IMatt Atehortua joined the Solnica-Krezel lab in June 2023 as a Research Tech I. Read More >> |
Take your Lab to the Ball Game with the CRMThe Solnica-Krezel lab joined in the Center of Regenerative Medicine “Take your lab to the ball game” day to watch the St. Louis Cardinals on May 4, 2023. Read More >> |
Missouri History Museum LunchThe Solnica-Krezel lab enjoyed lunch at Cafe St. Louis in the Missouri History Museum on March 23, 2023. Read More >> |
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Welcome to Viviana Vedder, Postdoctoral AssociateViviana Vedder joined the Solnica-Krezel lab in March 2023 as a postdoctoral associate. Viviana will work on disease modeling in zebrafish as part of our efforts in the UDN program. Read More >> |
New PublicationDissecting cell identity via network inference and in silico gene perturbation Kamimoto K, Stringa B, Hoffmann CM, Jindal K, Solnica-Krezel L, Morris SA Read More >> |
Congratulations!Lilianna Solnica-Krezel, PhD, was awarded the Edwin G. Conklin Medal in Developmental Biology. Established in 1995, the Edwin G. Conklin Medal in Developmental Biology is awarded annually by the Society for Developmental Biology (SDB) to recognize a developmental biologist who has made and is continuing to make extraordinary research contributions to the field and is an excellent mentor who has helped train the next generation of outstanding scientists Read More >> |
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Lilianna Solnica-Krezel, PhD, and Jimann Shin, PhD, received a two-year R21 grant award from the NIH, Office of the Director, beginning February 15, 2023, for her project entitled, “Increasing the efficiency and range of prime editing for disease modeling in zebrafish.” Read More >> |
Lilianna Solnica-Krezel, PhD, Aaron Johnson, PhD, Kristen Kroll, PhD, David Ornitz, MD, PhD, and Stephen Pak, PhD, have received a five-year R01 grant award from the NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development beginning December 20, 2022, for their project entitled, “Multi-organism platform for functional assessment of human birth defect associated genomic variants.” Read More >> |
Lilianna Solnica-Krezel, PhD, received a five-year competitive renewal from the National Institute of Health’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, beginning June 15, 2022, for her project entitled “Forward and reverse genetic studies of AIS and spine development in zebrafish.” This project is part of a program project grant with Dr. Carol Wise through UT Southwestern. Read More >> |
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