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Developmental Dynamics

Combining experiment, theory and computing, we elucidate the inner workings of embryonic development.

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About

Our theoretical and computational work is designed to integrate and abstract rapidly accumulating heterogeneous datasets, propose critical tests of multiscale regulatory mechanisms, and guide our own genetic and imaging experiments.

Our research is organized around three main themes:

  • the mechanistic modeling of pattern formation and morphogenesis
  • the synthesis and decomposition of developmental trajectories
  • the modeling of human developmental defects

Current projects focus on small cell clusters (motivated by our work on early embryos and animal germline development), graph dynamics in rearranging cell networks (motivated by problems of epithelial morphogenesis), and the effects of activating mutations in signaling enzymes (motivated by our work on a large class of human developmental abnormalities).

Publications

Collective is different: Information exchange and speed-accuracy trade-offs in self-organized patterning

PRX Life, arXiv, February 4, 2026

Ashutosh Tripathi, Jörn Dunkel, and D. Skinner

Evaluating Selective Quality Control in Mammalian Oogenesis: Evidence and Opportunities

Annual Review of Genetics, November 1, 2025

Jay W. Zussman1, et al.

Disrupted developmental signaling induces novel transcriptional states

Developmental Biology, bioRxiv, October 21, 2025

Aleena Patel, Vanessa Gonzalez, S. Shvartsman, and M. Avdeeva

Latest Research

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Mysteries of Fruit Fly Sperm Untangled by Mathematical Models

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Experiments and Mathematical Model Uncover the Mechanisms Behind Wrinkles in Cell Nuclei

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Going With the Flow: Mapping Vascular Systems in Fruit Flies

People

Jasmin Imran Alsous portrait

Jasmin Imran Alsous

Research Scientist, Center for Computational Biology

Portrait photo of Maria Avdeeva

Maria Avdeeva

Associate Research Scientist, Center for Computational Biology

Portrait photo of Lisa Brown

Lisa M. Brown

Senior Data Scientist, Center for Computational Biology

A portrait photo of Hayden Nunley.

Hayden Nunley

Associate Research Scientist, Center for Computational Biology

A middle-aged man with short brown hair wearing a gray button-up shirt, smiling softly, with a blurred indoor background.

Anton Persikov

Senior Data Scientist, Center for Computational Biology

Portrait photo of Stanislav Shvartsman

Stanislav Shvartsman

Senior Research Scientist, Center for Computational Biology

A young man with short brown hair and a beard stands outdoors on a cloudy day, with sand dunes, grass, and the sea in the background.

Dominic Skinner

Associate Research Scientist, Center for Computational Biology

Flatiron Community

Developmental Dynamics Meeting

Our weekly meetings provide an informal space for discussion, collaboration, and team-building.

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