The Cell Systems Dynamics group studies cell fate choices and their molecular control in complex and dynamic cell systems. Due to their importance in health and disease and their potential for clinical therapy, mammalian stem and progenitor cells are of particular interest. Most of our projects analyze mouse and human hematopoietic, pluripotent and skeletal stem and progenitor cells.

Through a combination of purification, culture, molecular manipulation and high-throughput long-term bioimaging of cells, as well as the computer-assisted quantification of the resulting massive data sets, the molecular mechanisms controlling cell behavior are analyzed. Long-term cell tracking yields the time-resolved and quantitative single cell data that is required for a comprehensive understanding of cell fate control. Large-volume multicolor whole-tissue quantitative 3D imaging with subcellular resolution and single-molecule sensitivity enables an improved understanding of stem cell control in their niches.

The required combination of cell and molecular biology, genetics, imaging, engineering, software development, statistics and computational mathematical modelling is enabled by interdisciplinary work within the group and with collaborators. Ultimate goal is an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell behavior in health and disease, and the development of novel therapies in regenerative medicine.

For detail and recent publications: https://bsse.ethz.ch/csd