We are interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms of naturally occurring organ regeneration. That's the ability of adult organisms to regrow complex structures and organs after injury. Zebrafish can regenerate heart, lens, pancreas, liver, fins, central and peripheral nervous system and probably more. We have been focusing on fin and heart regeneration.
We are trying to elucidate where the cells come from that re-build the regenerating structure, in particular what role cellular dedifferentiation plays. Furthermore, we aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms that regulate re-activation of an adult tissue and those that coordinate regenerative growth. One focus has been Wnt signaling, whose molecular regulation we also study in the embryo.