Miao, Yuchuan
725 N Wolfe Street
Office: Biophysics 100A
Lab: Biophysics 100
We study how cells build the human body. We use human pluripotent stem cells to build organoids that recapitulate essential features of developmental processes. With these simplified in vitro models, we dive deep into mechanisms that integrate gene regulation, cellular dynamics, and tissue-level cues to precisely pattern the body plan. We in turn leverage on this knowledge to advance tissue and organ engineering.
Currently we focus on somites and limb buds in the early embryo that respectively give rise to our spine and limbs. We combine live imaging, functional genomics, and biological engineering to uncover fundamental principles of multicellular patterning and morphogenesis. We aim to advance human developmental biology, understand congenital diseases, and promote regenerative medicine.
Liu Y, Kim Y, Xue X, Miao Y, Kobayashi N, Sun S, Yan Z, Yang Q, Pourquié O, Fu J. A human pluripotent stem cell-based somitogenesis model using microfluidics. Cell Stem Cell (2024). PMID: 38981471
Miao Y & Pourquié O. Modeling human trunk development. Nature Biotechnology (2024). PMID: 37974011
Miao Y* & Pourquié O*. Cellular and molecular control of vertebrate somitogenesis. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (2024). *co-correspondence. PMID: 3841885
Miao Y & Pourquié O. Mapping mouse axial progenitor dynamics in vitro. Developmental Cell (2024). PMID: 38889690
Miao Y. In preprints: tick, tick, somite – an intrinsic timer regulates segmentation. Development (2024). PMID: 38293868
Banerjee T, Matsuoka S, Biswas D, Miao Y, Pal D, Kamimura Y, Ueda M, Devreotes P, Iglesias P. A dynamic partitioning mechanism polarizes membrane protein distribution. Nature Communications (2023). PMID: 38036511
Miao Y, Diaz-Cuadros M, Pourquié O. Modeling human paraxial mesoderm development with pluripotent stem cells. Methods in Molecular Biology (2023). PMID: 37843773
Agarwal P, Cadart C, Fort L, Gahan J, Greenspan L, Juan T, Kameneva P, Miao Y. Pathway to Independence: the future of developmental biology. Development (2023). PMID: 37812057
Yang Q, Miao Y, Banerjee P, Hourwitz M, Hu M, Qing Q, Iglesias P, Fourkas J, Losert W, Devreotes P. Nanotopography modulates intracellular excitable systems through cytoskeleton actuation. PNAS (2023). PMID: 37126708
Miao Y, Djeffal Y, De Simone A, Zhu K, Lee JG, Lu Z, Silberfeld A, Rao J, Tarazona OA, Mongera A, Rigoni P, Diaz-Cuadros M, Song L, Di Talia S, Pourquié O. Reconstruction and deconstruction of human somitogenesis in vitro. Nature (2023). PMID: 36543321
Banerjee T, Biswas D, Pal D, Miao Y, Iglesias P, Devreotes P. Spatiotemporal dynamics of membrane surface charge regulates cell polarity and migration. Nature Cell Biology (2022). PMID: 36202973
Yang Q, Miao Y, Campanello L, Hourwitz M, Abubaker-Sharif B, Bull A, Devreotes P, Fourkas J, Losert W. Cortical waves mediate the cellular response to electric fields. eLife (2022). PMID: 35318938
Ghabache E, Cao Y, Miao Y, Groisman A, Devreotes PN, Rappel WJ. Coupling traction force patterns and actomyosin wave dynamics reveals mechanics of cell motion. Molecular Systems Biology (2021). PMID: 34898015
Bhattacharya S, Banerjee T, Miao Y, Zhan H, Devreotes P, Iglesias P. Traveling and standing waves mediate pattern formation in cellular protrusions. Science Advances (2020). PMID: 32821814
Li X, Miao Y, Pal D, Devreotes P. Excitable networks controlling cell migration during development and disease. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology (2020). PMID: 31836289
Cao Y, Ghabache E, Miao Y, Niman C, Hakozaki H, Reck-Peterson S, Devreotes P, Rappel W. A minimal computational model for three-dimensional cell migration. Journal of The Royal Society Interface (2019). PMID: 31847757
Miao Y*, Bhattacharya S*, Banerjee T, Abubaker‐Sharif B, Long Y, Inoue T, Iglesias P, Devreotes P. Wave patterns organize cellular protrusions and control cortical dynamics. Molecular Systems Biology (2019). *co-first. PMID: 30858181
Pal DS, Li X, Banerjee T, Miao Y, Devreotes PN. The excitable signal transduction networks: movers and shapers of eukaryotic cell migration. The International Journal of Developmental Biology (2019). PMID: 31840779
Devreotes P, Bhattacharya S, Edwards M, Iglesias P, Lampert T, Miao Y. Excitable Signal Transduction Networks in Directed Cell Migration. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology (2017). PMID: 28793794
Miao Y, Bhattacharya S, Edwards M, Cai H, Inoue T, Iglesias P, Devreotes P. Altering the threshold of an excitable signal transduction network changes cell migratory modes. Nature Cell Biology (2017). PMID: 28346441