Crist Laboratory for Skeletal Muscle Development and Regeneration
Investigating the molecular mechanisms that govern tissue development, maintenance and regeneration.
We use genetic approaches to investigate how genes function during tissue development and regeneration.
Since these processes are inherently cellular and spatial, we combine high-resolution microscopy with clonal analyses, sequencing, and molecular biology to uncover the mechanisms that give rise to specific phenotypes.
High-resolution imaging allows us to resolve subcellular organization in muscle stem cells and uncover mechanisms that regulate gene expression.
From discovery to application
Our laboratory spans fundamental developmental biology through regenerative mechanisms and emerging stem cell engineering.
Skeletal muscle development
We study how tissues are built during embryogenesis, identifying fundamental genetic and molecular mechanisms that establish muscle structure and function.
Skeletal muscle regeneration
We investigate how muscle stem cells respond to injury and how molecular pathways govern repair, self-renewal, and tissue restoration.
Stem cell & synthetic biology
We develop new ways to endow muscle stem cells with engineered functions, enabling next-generation cell-based strategies for muscle repair.
Crist Laboratory 