Milka Sarris

Cell movement is essential for animal development, wound healing and defence from infection. We are interested in how cell movement is guided to functional destinations. We focus on cells of the immune system (leukocytes), which are remarkably capable of traversing different tissue environments and migrating on demand to sites where their antimicrobial function is needed.

Our aim is to understand how these highly motile cells search tissues and read guidance signals. What are the molecular cues that guide leukocytes to areas of infection or injury? How do these signals propagate and become presented in tissue environments? And how is this information processed by leukocytes? In other words, how do gradients of stimuli instruct cell polarity, cytoskeletal dynamics and migration behaviour?

To address these questions, we exploit the zebrafish larva, whose small size and transparency make it ideal for high-resolution in vivo imaging. We record leukocyte dynamics using advanced microscopy techniques and use quantitative and statistical methods to determine how these are modulated by directional signals. We combine this with a variety of genetic or chemical manipulations, to functionally link molecular, cellular and tissue parameters of leukocyte guidance. Through this integrated approach, our goal is to obtain a better understanding of how leukocytes, and eukaryotic cells in general, interpret complex spatial cues.

Collaborators

Dennis Bray (PDN, University of Cambridge)
Jean-Baptiste Masson (Janelia Farm HHMI)
Philippe Bousso (Institut Pasteur)

Lab members

Caroline Coombs (PhD student)
Alexis Crockett
Hugo Poplimont  (PhD student)
Antonios Georgantzoglou (post-doc)

Past members

Edward Mawdsley
Kim Westerich