Our work focuses on understanding the molecular processes underlying organogenesis.
Organs are an important functional level of organization for cells within animals.
Within an organ, cells of different types coordinate their development, and proper development is critical for normal function. In humans, defects in organ development underlie a variety of birth defects, and mutations in genes important for normal organogenesis are associated with tumors. Thus, understanding fundamental aspects of organogenesis can provide insight into human disease. Important questions in organogenesis include 1. what processes and molecules make cells within an organ different from each other, and 2. We use genetic, cell biological and molecular approaches to study the development of the C. elegans hindgut as a model for organogenesis.