Project Details
Projekt
Changing identities: identification of genetic drivers of transdifferentiation
Applicant
Dr. Nicola Blum
Subject Area
Developmental Biology
Term
from 2018 to 2020
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 401798912
Once differentiated, cells are usually extremely stable and keep their identity. During specific developmental and regenerative processes, however, cells must convert into other cell types. This phenomenon, called transdifferentiation, requires dramatic transcriptional changes since genes specific to the starting state must be turned off, whereas genes specific to the new state must be turned on. How a cell knows that it must transdifferentiate is unknown. The proposed project aims to shed light on this question by screening for genes sufficient to force cells to transdifferentiate during organ regeneration in zebrafish.
DFG Programme
Research Fellowships
International Connection
USA
