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The Siekmann Lab at the University of Pennsylvania focuses on understanding the mechanisms that control blood vessel formation, embryonic development, and tissue regeneration using zebrafish as a model organism. The research aims to decipher the morphogenetic principles responsible for the growth of hierarchically patterned blood vessel trees and the mechanical forces exerted by flowing blood that influence genetic programs for cellular differentiation. The lab investigates the genes responsible for proper blood vessel growth in developing embryos and how tree-shaped blood vessel networks arise, examining the differentiation of arteries and veins and their organization into capillary networks. Recent findings include the role of the chemokine receptor cxcr4 in coordinating cell migration for the formation of arterial blood vessels and the Notch signaling pathway's influence on cxcr4 expression. The lab's future research directions include exploring the molecular mechanisms that control endothelial cell migration and the relationship between gene expression regulation and hemodynamic forces, with the aim of understanding processes linked to human cardiovascular diseases. The work not only sheds light on the control of blood vessel size but also lays the groundwork for potential new therapies for conditions like hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).
Wharton Doctoral programs cover fields like Finance, Marketing, Management, and Operations, Information and Decisions.