12/11/24
Congratulations to Professor Anthony Graham and Professor Malcolm Logan (Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics), on the award of a new UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council grant on “Manipulating a Morphogen in Space and Time.” Their work will deepen our understanding of how morphogens—key signalling molecules—drive the development of specific structures during embryogenesis.
Morphogens play an essential role in the formation of complex tissue structures by directing cells toward developmental pathways based on the concentration and exposure time of these signalling molecules. The work will focus on Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), a well-studied morphogen in limb development, and experiment with controlled levels of morphogen signalling in embryonic limb cells to understand the dynamics of cellular responses. Graham & Logan’s approach promises insights into how precisely tuned morphogen levels influence cell fate and shape tissue structures.
The new work will explore the impact of modulating SHH exposure at varying intensities and timeframes on cellular outcomes, and eventual morphology, revealing rules governing how morphogens guide developmental processes. Findings from this study could have broader implications, including for understanding congenital defects where morphogen disruptions lead to structural anomalies and could the essential foundations for therapeutic strategies to address these issues.
Graham and Logan’s work will yield valuable insights into the precise mechanisms by which morphogens guide complex developmental processes, enabling the formation of functional structures. It will significantly develop our understanding of how a single type of signalling molecule can generate different anatomical structures, and how this property can be used by a developing organism.
