Research
Cell fate control during plant development
Multicellularity allows organisms such as plants to form complex structures but these need to be carefully patterned and controlled. Spatial control of cell fate and patterning have been studied in some detail, as have time-controlled phase changes that affect an entire organ or individual. However, we have largely remained naïve to timing control along a cellular fate trajectory. What determines the relative timing of fate acquisition, progression, and differentiation along a cellular trajectory, and when and how is development slowed down or sped up? In our group, we investigate the mechanisms the plant uses to control the timing of cell fate transitions.