Description:

Title: Mechanical origins of 3D chiral morphogenesis

Abstract:

During development, tissues integrate mechanical and biochemical signals to drive organ-scale geometric transformations. Left-right symmetry breaking is a fundamental feature of organ morphogenesis that is crucial for function. Remarkably, tuning the concentration of certain molecular motors can invert organ chirality across vertebrates and invertebrates alike, but we currently lack a physical understanding of this basic process. How does the activity of these motors at the single-cell scale collectively drive organ-level chirality? Here, I present recent progress in uncovering the dynamics and mechanical forces underlying chiral coiling using the embryonic Drosophila midgut as a model system. Using whole-organ live imaging, covariant measures of tissue dynamics, and genetic perturbations, we outline a 'mechanical Waddington landscape' for chiral morphogenesis. In this framework, organ chirality emerges through a two-step symmetry-breaking process with tunable, stereotyped outcomes. 

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Any questions? Would you like to give a talk? 
Connect with the organizers Xueying Wang xueying.wang@northwestern.edu and Alasdair Hastewell alasdair.hastewell@northwestern.edu

Seminar series schedule visit NITMB Event Calendar

Noah Mitchell is an Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology at the University of Chicago. The Mitchell Lab addresses the collective cell behaviors and mechanical interactions between mesodermal and epithelial tissue layers that link genes to geometry. The Mitchell Lab combines whole-organ live imaging, genetic perturbations, computational microscopy, and analytic approaches from soft matter physics.

Learn more about Noah Mitchell's research

The NSF-Simons National Institute for Theory and Mathematics in Biology Seminar Series aims to bring together a mix of mathematicians and biologists to foster discussion and collaboration between the two fields. The seminar series will take place on Fridays from 10am - 11am at the NITMB offices in the John Hancock Center in downtown Chicago. There will be both an in-person and virtual component.