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I study the mechanisms of symmetry breaking during cell migration.

Migration of groups of cells is critical for organ development and tissue remodeling, however the mechanisms that promote and regulate this type of collective motion remain largely unexplored. Mechanical cues are known to influence the behavior of migrating single cells, but how cells sense and transmit these cues in a multicellular assembly, with no clear asymmetry, is not understood. Using micropatterning techniques and live cell microscopy, I study how the physical properties of a tissue’s microenvironment and the mechanical interactions within a group of cells promote and regulate collective cell migration.