Hydra Evo And Devo Lab 

I am fascinated by the origins of multicellularity and the molecular innovations that enabled cells to adhere, specialize, and organize into body plans with defined axes and functions. These transitions allowed the emergence of diverse morphologies that enhance survival across environments. Understanding how cell types and tissues evolve and assemble is a central question in biology, with implications for both developmental disorders and unique processes such as regeneration.

My research addresses these questions using Hydra, an early-branching eumetazoan with a simple body plan, conserved cell types, and extraordinary regenerative capacity. Hydra’s continuous tissue dynamics and axis re-patterning provide a powerful system to uncover the molecular networks that drive development, regeneration, and the evolution of cellular complexity.