Current Research Groups
- Chourrout Group - Molecular Genetics of Protochordates
Builds and exploits genome data to gain insight into the evolution of chordate development, with focus on Tunicates. Uses the model organism Oikopleura dioica for studies of developmental mechanisms. Additional studies are performed on developmental genes in the Atlantic Salmon.
- Thompson Group - Chromatin and Cell Cycle Dynamics in Urochordates
Studies the molecular control of cell cycle variants implicated in regulation of rapid growth and modulation of reproductive output over 3 orders of magnitude during the course of a short, 6-day chordate life cycle. Also work on chromatin mediation of gene expression in a very compact gene regulatory landscape and on cellular mechanisms implicated in templating complex cellulose-based extracellular structures.
- Rentzsch Group - Neural development in Cnidaria
Uses molecular, biochemical and transgenic approaches to study neural development and differentiation in Cnidaria, one of the oldest animal phyla possesing a nervous system.
- Hejnol Group - Comparative Developmental Biology of Animals
Studies a broad range of animal taxa using morphological and molecular tools to unravel the evolution and development of animal organ systems.
- Hausen Group - Cell Type and Organ System Evolution in Bilaterian Animals
Animals are composed of multifarious types of cells, which serve highly specific functions and may form part of tissues and organs or may occur singly. In our group we are interested in the evolution of this complexity.
- Steinmetz Group - Evolution of nutrient and growth homeostasis in animals
Studies the evolution of the cells and molecules that regulate the balance between nutrient availability, growth and reproduction in animals. We use the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) as a main model organism.
- Chatzigeorgiou Group - Neural Circuits and Behavior in Ciona
Understanding the mechanisms by which nervous systems develop and operate in order to collect information from the external world and generate a coordinated behavioural output is one of the most exciting problems in biological research.
- Burkhardt Group - Evolutionary Origin of Synapses and Neurons
Aims to understand when the proteins required for synaptic activity first evolved, how they functioned at a molecular level and which combinations of synaptic proteins resulted in the origin of the synapse.
- Glover Associate Group - Appendicularian Neural Development
Studies regional patterning, neuronal differentiation and synapse formation in developing vertebrate motor circuits, as well as spinal cord regeneration and the neurogenic potential of adult human somatic
stem cells.
- Valen Associate Group - Gene Regulation and RNA Biology
Our group is an associate group at the Sars Centre with primary affiliation at the Computational Biology Unit at the University of Bergen. We are dedicated to the study of gene regulation and translation, primarily in the context of vertebrate embryogenesis.
Former Research Groups
