Our approach
The Pani lab pursues curiosity-driven research exploring the cell biological foundations of development and tissue maintenance. We use in vivo live imaging, genome engineering, and genetics to answer longstanding questions in biology and provide new insights into fundamental cellular processes. Current work in the lab centers on investigating the cellular and molecular underpinnings of long-range cell signaling using the worm C. elegans ​as a tractable model system.
Dissecting cell signaling mechanisms in vivo
We use live imaging, genome engineering, and genetics to seek answers to a fundamental question in biology - how is signaling between cells controlled in space and time? Our research focuses on how signaling mechanisms at the molecular level are integrated with dynamic cellular architectures, cell behaviors, and the extracellular environment to orchestrate development. We primarily use the worm C. elegans as a tractable model system to study these questions because of the efficiency of genome engineering and live imaging. Our earlier work on these questions has led to key discoveries on ​​how signaling proteins called Wnts move between cells, how Wnts polarize cells, streamlined methods for Cas9-triggered genome engineering, and development of novel in vivo​ tools to study cell signaling.​
