Dr. Nanette Nascone-Yoder received a new NIH grant to study how cellular mechanisms drive left-right asymmetry during organ development, a process whose failure underlies many serious birth defects. Working with co-investigator Dr. Julio Belmonte, assistant professor of physics, the five-year project combines experiments in transparent frog embryos with advanced computational modeling to create virtual 2D and 3D organs that test how specific cellular and genetic mechanisms shape organs such as the stomach and heart. By integrating in vivo experiments with a “virtual laboratory,” the interdisciplinary team aims to uncover how asymmetric information is translated into proper organ curvature and positioning, potentially informing future strategies for early detection or prevention of congenital abnormalities in humans and animals.
Read more here: https://news.cvm.ncsu.edu/nih-awards-2-8-million-grant-to-nc-state-developmental-biologist-for-work-investigating-organ-formation/