Neuroimaging
Head of the group: Dr. Reinhard Köster
The goal of the neuroimaging group is:
The Zebrafish Neuroimaging Group aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern the migration of neuronal precursors cells in the developing central nervous system.
We try to elucidate how migrating neuronal precursors initiate migration, interact with other cells, make pathfinding decisions, stop migration and adopt a specific fate.
As migratory processes are very dependent on their environment cellular behavior is ideally observed directly in vivo. Thus, we employ intravital imaging methods that allow neuronal precursors to be observed continuously as they move, interact with neighbors and respond to altered genetic conditions.
The transparent zebrafish embryo as model organism offers the powerful combination of genetics with in vivo imaging. By using the broad repertoire of molecular and genetic methods available in zebrafish we try to dissect the underlying molecular network governing neuronal migratory processes directly in vivo
The junior group is funded by the Biofuture-Program of the BMBF (Federal Ministry for Education and Research) and the GSF – National Research Center for Environment and Health.
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