Research Summary
Starting from a fertilized egg, cells multiply, undergo functional changes, and form diverse tissue structures. Throughout this process, intracellular and environmental cues trigger patterns of gene expression that govern cell state transitions. These transitions, in turn, produce new signals that guide cells to self-organize into functional clusters within distinct areas. As Canada Research Chair in Synthetic Biology, Dr. Nozomu Yachie is looking for better ways to study these complex processes.
Most biological studies require researchers to destroy samples to observe molecular and cellular details—an approach that limits our ability to understand dynamic processes. To overcome this obstacle, Yachie and his research team are developing two cell engineering approaches: a video camera system and a time machine-like system to observe dynamic molecular and cellular events as they unfold in the body. By combining these tools, they aim to support the development of new treatments for diseases such as cancer.