As part of the Boroviak lab (Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience) and the Hollfelder lab (Department of Biochemistry), I wish to combine stem cell biology and microfluidic techniques to advance our understanding of early human development. Throughout my PhD, I am leveraging human and non-human primate stem cell-based models to define the cues that govern the emergence of extraembryonic lineages.
Non-human primate stem cells represent both a model for human development but also a means to study evolutionary divergence in implantation strategies. Specifically, my project focuses on the specification of the amniotic ectoderm and the trophoblast. Recapitulating the emergence of these lineages in vitro would provide a powerful platform to delineate the signalling pathways and transcription factor networks involved in human development and diseases.
