In feats of self-organization, developing tissues reliably construct precise 3D organ shapes despite stochasticity in molecular signals and cellular behaviors. How this reproducibility emerges has long remained elusive. I propose that physical forces generated by cells—pushes, pulls, and torques—act as an error-correcting layer that stabilizes organ shape as it forms. These interactions drive tissues toward stable attractor states, and outcomes can be biased or switched by perturbations. By integrating advanced microscopy, genetics, and mathematical modeling, we aim to define the rules governing force generation and coordination across tissues, and determine how this process breaks down under environmental stress. Together, this work will establish general principles for how living systems build and regulate complex three-dimensional structures, enabling prediction—and ultimately control—of tissue self-organization.
Awards and Achievements
- NIH K99/R00 Award, NICHD ( 2023-2027)
- Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Fellowship ( 2020-2023)
- Springer Thesis Award ( 2019)
- Yodh Prize, University of Chicago ( 2017)
- McCormick, Millikan, and Sachs Fellowships, University of Chicago ( 2012-2016)