Project summary
Notch has been comprehensively studied as a conciliator of cell-to-cell communication that mediates cell fate decisions of progenitors.
While Notch signalling has been extensively studied in cell fate determination at distinct development stages of mammalian cells as well as cancer stem cell progenitor maintenance and renewal, the functional role of Notch signalling in vascular wall patterning and cardiovascular disease is not well understood.
By using advanced microscopic techniques, fate mapping approaches and single cell clonal analysis, we aim to study the role of Notch signalling in blood vessel wall patterning and maintenance of smooth muscle cell progenitors in developing walls as well as disease of the vasculatures.
Thus, we believe that the investigation of Notch signalling in vascular biology promises to be a very fruitful way forward to designing new therapeutics.