Meet the PI
Professor, Department of Pathology
Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago
Dunedin, New Zealand
Questions:
What is the research focus of your lab?
The lab’s research originates from my postdoctoral work at the University of Auckland starting in late 1999, where I used a forward genetic screen to identify new leukemia genes in zebrafish. The screen resulted in the identification of a cell cycle protein – cohesin (Rad21 subunit). As a result, my group was among the early pioneers who established gene expression roles for cohesin and its regulators in vertebrate development.
Cohesin was only known for its cell cycle role at the time when I identified the zebrafish mutant, but is now known to be integral to the formation of 3D genome structure, gene expression, and cell fate decision-making, and important to human development and cancer.
Cohesin’s connection with leukemia was later confirmed by cancer genome sequencing projects, and we are continuing to research the molecular mechanisms of cohesin dysfunction.
How long have you been working with zebrafish? How long have you had your own lab?
I’ve been working with fish since 1999, and was lucky enough to start my own lab in late 2007 at the University of Otago.
Getting to know you better
Where were you born/where did you grow up?
I was born in London, but we emigrated to NZ when I was a 6-month baby. My Dad is Yorkshire born but grew up in Wellington, NZ. I grew up near a little village called Pauatahanui, 25 km north of Wellington.
Tell us something about yourself in one sentence.
An Optimistic type kicker with insatiable curiosity.
Science
Which of the current projects in your lab you are most excited about?
All of them! We are just about to get into some neuroscience projects, owing to the important role of cohesin in neuronal development via chromatin organisation, and I am excited about working with some new fishies that have just arrived in the lab to help with this project.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in science/research?
Absolutely do it, but only if doing science sparks joy. When choosing a career in science, never close any doors too soon, and imagine yourself into your next space.
Which part of the PI job you enjoy the most? Why?
Getting to know and work with the wonderful students and researchers in the lab. Marveling at their achievements, and watching them go on to do awesome things.
Outside of work
What do you enjoy doing outside of work/lab?
I enjoy mountain biking and hiking in beautiful Aotearoa/New Zealand. I love my garden and spending time with my family. I’m currently kept busy fending off two kittens that are supposed to be the entertainment now that the teenagers are off to college.
What career would you have liked if you were not a scientist?
I would have loved to be a great musician and play in a world-famous band (however, I’m sadly lacking in talent). My sideline would be working as an all-expenses-paid restaurant reviewer in Italy.
Present situation
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your lab and work?
It’s slowed down our work a lot, and the increasing expense and delay with getting reagents to NZ have limited what we can do. It has also severely curtailed travel – in remote NZ, it is paradoxically even more important to travel because we are so isolated from the global scientific community. I could go on…
Group Leader
Francis Crick Institute
London, United Kingdom
Questions:
What is the research focus of your lab?
The overarching goal our lab is to understand how organ form and function emerge during development. We are addressing this fundamental problem using an interdisciplinary systems-level approach and by studying organogenesis, as a whole, in a developing embryo. Our choice of model system is a developing zebrafish heart, as it is highly accessible and tractable. In the heart, we are specifically focusing on the process of trabeculation, which transforms a monolayer embryonic myocardium into a complex 3D topological structure and is critical for heart function. Some of the fundamental problems we seek to resolve are, 1) how cell mechanics, shape, and polarity regulate its fate choices at the onset of trabeculation, 2) how geometrical constraints like tissue curvature and fluid forces feedback to tissue morphogenesis during trabeculation, 3) how extracellular matrix remodelling regulates emergence and maturation of trabeculae, and 4) unravelling the underlying cell biology and physical forces that contribute to trabeculae maturation.
How long have you been working with zebrafish? How long have you had your own lab?
My tryst with zebrafish is a recent one! I started working on zebrafish when I moved to Didier Stainier’s lab in the autumn of 2016, so, exactly 6 years now. I joined the Crick in February 2021, so the lab is 20 months old now
Getting to know you better
Where were you born/where did you grow up?
I was born in India and grew up in a beautiful remote corner close to the city of Jaipur, surrounded by jungle, hills, peacocks and parrots.
Tell us something about yourself in one sentence
I am an accidental Scientist.
Science
Which of the current projects in your lab you are most excited about?
I won’t be able to pick one as we are equally excited and invested in all of them. I have quite a diverse lab and it’s so fascinating to see how each of them are bringing their own flavor and creativity to the lab’s research program.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in science/research?
Find mentors, as many as you can and as diverse as you can
Which part of the PI job you enjoy the most? Why?
Talking to my lab members about their research projects and shaping the project together - brainstorming ideas and seeing them turning into realities or for that matter fail, because it simply means that something else interesting is happening and we just have to find that missing link! Our lab meeting days are my favorite days of the week.
Outside of work
What do you enjoy doing outside of work/lab?
Travelling. I love exploring new places, new smells, sounds and flavors. Also, I love being just out in the nature, so long walks and hiking.
What career would you have liked if you were not a scientist?
May be a photojournalist or a musician. I took a brief training in Hindustani classical music and was considering it seriously.
Present situation
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your lab and work?
This can be a very long answer…
I think all of us pandemic PIs have insane stories of how we embarked on a new career, in a new country, while the whole world was shutting down. It was quite stressful and chaotic to move my professional and personal life to the UK, while navigating the pandemic and Brexit. Recruitment was very challenging, procuring new equipment took time and everything was just gloomy and slow. Having said that, I had a lot of support from the Crick and my lab did an excellent job in getting things up and running, so I have been fortunate.