Cell-cell adhesive force in vascular development (2015-2018)

Vascular system development is one of the earliest events in the vertebrate embryo. It has long been established that one major contributor to the formation of new vessels is physical force, which can be generated through blood flow or cell-cell interactions during tissue morphogenesis. This project will for the first time utilize groundbreaking new approaches to visualize cell-cell adhesive forces in vascular development. The study utilizes live imaging in zebrafish and a new generation of biosensors to gain a vastly deeper understanding of how force controls vessel formation. This will generate important new knowledge, train future scientific leaders in cutting edge research and promote Australian science internationally.