Genetics and Developmental Biology (UMR3215 / U934)

The research Unit “Genetics and Developmental Biology” of Institut Curie is composed of nine teams addressing fundamental questions related to the development of organisms and its pathological dysfunctions.

Our action is based on a simple idea: understanding developmental processes and tissue homeostasis is key to understand the etiology of diseases. We study living organisms at different scales ranging from organisms (mouse, zebrafish, Drosophila) to molecular aspects, and including organoids, patient-derived xenografts and cell lines. This variety of approaches enables an integrated analysis from the cell nucleus to the whole organism.
Our research addresses the following themes:
-the acquisition and maintenance of identity of stem cells, germ cells, or specialized somatic cells through cell signaling and transcriptional control
– the control of gene expression by the non-coding genome (ncRNAs, transposons) in normal and pathological conditions
– the role of mechanical forces and cell divisions in building embryos and tissues
– the role of inter-organ communications and systemic signals in tissue growth and homeostasis.