Molecular regulators of arterial specification and morphogenesis
Through lineage tracing of endothelial tip cells and subsequent RNA sequencing in the developing retina and lung of postnatal mice, previous research in our lab has uncovered a critical role of endothelial tip cells in leading and guiding capillary sprouts, migration and eventually contributing to growing arteries. Signaling molecules, receptors and transcription factors involved in this process remain relatively underexplored. My project specifically involves identifying transcription factors that may play regulatory roles in arterial fate specification, differentiation or maintenance through a combination of in vitro EC assays and in vivo studies in transgenic mice.