Project Description: Lymphatic vessels are a crucial component of the cardiovascular system. These specialised vessels are important for fluid homeostasis, the absorption of dietary fats and immune cell trafficking. Abnormalities in the growth, development and/or function of lymphatic vessels underlie human disorders including vascular malformations, lymphoedema, inflammatory diseases and cancer. While sharing similarities with blood vessels, lymphatic vessels also exhibit distinctions that are crucial for their specialised functions. We are interested in understanding how the identity of lymphatic endothelial cells is programmed by transcription factors that act as molecular switches to turn genes on and off. This particular project is focussed on understanding how transcription factors work together to regulate gene expression in lymphatic endothelial cells. This project will employ a range of cutting edge genomic, proteomic, molecular and cell biology techniques to dissect how transcription factors work together to control lymphatic vessel identity and how this process goes wrong in human lymphatic diseases.
Pre-requisite skills: A record of undergraduate achievement and a fascination with cell and developmental biology.
Supervisor: Professor Natasha Harvey
Supervisor contact email: natasha.harvey@unisa.edu.au
