The McDole group investigates how the early mammalian embryo begins to form complex, three dimensional structures from simple starting materials. Using a combination of advanced live-imaging, mechanobiology and computational analysis, our group studies how cells coordinate to form tissues during the early organogenesis stages in the mouse embryo, and how a cell’s fate can be influenced by its physical environment.
Our research is divided into three main prongs focussing on imaging, biology and computational tools and methods.
1. Advancing adaptive light sheet microscopy for large field-of-view, deep-tissue imaging
Mammalian development has been notoriously difficult to visualise. Embryos are highly sensitive to environmental and culture conditions, and in addition are extremely photosensitive. We develop custom, advanced light sheet imaging methods to gently and comprehensively image the mouse embryo at single-cell resolution over a course of days.
2. Mechanisms of tissue morphogenesis: the coordination of individual and tissue-wide cell behaviours in shaping the developing embryo
Our initial investigations are primarily centred around the development of the anterior side of the mouse embryo, focussing on the coordinated ventral folding event that is essential for the development of the foregut, heart and early brain.
3. Developing computational tools and methods to analyse complex 4D light sheet datasets
The vast imaging datasets produced by our custom microscope require bespoke computational solutions. We develop a number of tools from machine learning methods to 3D modelling to segment, track, visualise, quantify and reconstruct early embryo development.