Dr.

Biography

Axelrod Lab at Stanford University focuses on studying Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) and the mechanisms through which epithelial cells polarize along the orthogonal apical-basal axis. The lab employs a combination of genetic, molecular, and cell biological methodologies, along with mathematical approaches, to explore the systems logic underlying PCP signaling. Using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, the research aims at understanding the mechanisms responsible for providing, interpreting, and executing orientation signals that are crucial in development. The studies conducted in the lab are significant as they delve into the central roles these signals play in various developmental defects and disease states, including heart malformations, neural tube closure defects, congenital deafness, polycystic kidney disease, and ciliary dyskinesia, as well as the misregulation of PCP mechanisms that may contribute to cancer.

Research Interests