Research Aims:
Selected Recent Publications
S. D. Joshi*, M. von Dassow*, and L. A. Davidson (2009). Experimental control of excitable embryonic tissues: three stimuli induce rapid epithelial contraction. Experimental Cell Research. (* equal contributions) (pubmed).
L. A. Davidson, M. von Dassow, and J. Zhou (2009). Multi-scale mechanics from molecules to morphogenesis. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. (pubmed)
J. Zhou, H. Y. Kim, and L. A. Davidson (2009). Actomyosin stiffens the vertebrate embryo during critical stages of elongation and neural tube closure. Development 136: 677-688. (article featured by Thomas Lecuit in Faculty of 1000 and rated 6.0, a "Must Read") (pubmed)
M. von Dassow and L. A. Davidson (2009). Natural variation in embryo mechanics: gastrulation in Xenopus laevis is highly robust to variation in tissue stiffness. Developmental Dynamics 238: 2-18. (article featured in May 2009 Dev. Dyn. "Highlights" section) (pubmed)
L. A. Davidson (2008). Apoptosis turbocharges epithelial morphogenesis. Science, 321:1641-1642. (pubmed)
L. A. Davidson, B. D. Dzamba, R. Keller, and D. W. DeSimone (2008). Live imaging of cell protrusive activity, and extracellular matrix assembly and remodeling during morphogenesis in the frog, Xenopus laevis. Developmental Dynamics (pubmed)
L. A. Davidson (2008). Taming the tiger of tissue aggregation: How epithelia control structural assembly of underlying cells. Developmental Cell 14: 152-154. (pubmed)
M. von Dassow and L. A. Davidson (2008). Variation and robustness of the mechanics of gastrulation: the role of tissue mechanical properties during morphogenesis. Birth Defects Research Part C: Embryo Today. 81: 253-269. (pubmed)