Pattern Formation is the main focus of the Steventon lab. They mainly use zebrafish as a model system. Their research is for us an important link to our comparative studies with vertebrates.
Like us, the Gillis Lab investigates some of the most critical evolutionary innovations of vertebrates (e.g. gills, neural crest, the backbone) but they mainly use skates for their research. We are lucky to have them next door.
The Paluch Lab investigates the cross talk between mechanics, cell shape and cell fate. We work with them to understand how this is used by evolution to generate new tissues.
The Marioni Lab develops and applies statistical methods to understand cell fate choices using single-cell genomics approaches. We work with them to understand how this compares across species.
The Verd lab uses data-driven mathematical modelling to study pattern formation in different species. They are specially interested in understanding how gene regulatory networks drive expression dynamics in the context of development and through evolution.
The Herbert-Read Lab uses theory-driven assays to quantitatively assess collective behaviours within groups of animals, and in particular in marine species. We work with them to understand the behaviour of our amphioxus.
We are active members of the Cambridge Centre for Physical Biology, which supports and facilitates collaborations amongst biologists, physicists and mathematicians across the University of Cambridge, in a number of different ways.
We are also members of The Theory of Living Matter Group, a non-profit researcher network bridging interactions between experimentalists and theorists and regularly organising seminars, tutorials and workshops across research fields and disciplines.
