PhD StudentshipStudying cell positioning during tissue morphogenesis

in Drosophila by in vivo 4D microscopyDuring animal development, cells undergo various behaviours to form the organism with its tissues and organs. Key aspects of such morphogenetic processes are the positioning of cells in the organism and the shaping of tissues. This is achieved through a variety of cell behaviours, such as cell movement, cell shape change and remodelling of cell-cell junctions. Importantly, as the organism develops and grows, these behaviours have to be coordinated. Despite recent progress, rather little is known about how cell behaviours are regulated and coordinated during morphogenesis. Although many signals are known to instruct cells to undergo certain behaviours, it remains mysterious how these signals ultimately lead to cell behaviour and the correct positioning of cells in the organism.

This studentship aims to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying tissue level cell behaviour using the adult abdominal epidermis of Drosophila as a model. During this morphogenetic process, the adult histoblasts divide and migrate to form the adult tissue during metamorphosis. This studentship will study signals that direct cells within the tissue and investigate how the interaction with neighbouring cells impacts on a cell’s behaviour. To tackle these questions, the student will use state-of-the-art in vivo imaging (4D microscopy), quantitative image analysis tools, Drosophila genetics and various cell biological techniques.

Unravelling how cell behaviours are regulated is not only crucial to understand how shape and form arise during development, but also to understand human disease. For instance, during tumour progression, cancer cells change their behaviour, become mobile and form metastases.

We o�er a collaborative and supportive research environment at Scotland’s �rst universi-ty, which provides top-level training and excellent imaging facilities. In addition, the University of St Andrews o�ers a large range of courses in transferable skills such as science communication, managing your supervisor, ethics, intellectual property etc.

For further information please visit our website, which can be found here:http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/bischo�/.Informal enquires should be addressed to Marcus Bischo� (mb273@st-andrews.ac.uk).

Funding notesEligibility requirements: Upper second-class degree in Biology or a related area. Funding source: Competition funded PhD project (EU students).Duration: 3 years.Starting: September 2017.Application deadline: 5 December 2016.

ReferencesBischo� and Cseresnyes (2009). Cell rearrangements, cell divisions and cell death in a migrating epithelial sheet in the abdomen of Drosophila. Development 136, 2403-2411.Bischo� (2012). Lamellipodia-based migrations of the larval epithelial cells contribute to the closure of the adult abdominal epithelium of Drosophila. Dev Biol 363, 179-190.