Research Topics
Developmental genetics and urogenital system diseases
Transcriptional control of cell fate specification and behavior during kidney development
Collective cell migration
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT)
Cancer invasion
Genetically modified mouse models
Single-cell genomics, multi-omics approaches, spatial transcriptomics
3D imaging of the mouse embryo
Current Research
The adult kidney is a complex organ composed of many different cell types, all derived from a specific group of embryonic cells called the intermediate mesoderm. During development, these cells transform and reorganize to form three successive stages of kidneys at specific times and locations. First, the pronephros forms, then quickly disappears, giving way to the mesonephros. The mesonephros migrates toward the back of the embryo to help form the metanephros, which will become the adult kidney. This process is closely linked to the development of the reproductive system, which is why it is referred to as the urogenital system. It serves as a useful model for understanding fundamental questions, such as how cells develop, organize into tissues, communicate with each other, move collectively, and undergo programmed cell death.
At the Sanchez-Ferras Laboratory, we explore these aspects in the context of kidney development and aim to understand how dysfunctions in these processes can lead to diseases such as congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) and cancer. To do this, we use mouse genetics and advanced techniques such as single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and machine learning, as well as live and confocal imaging. These tools allow us to study kidney development in detail—from individual cell behavior to collective dynamicsand to understand how genes and their networks control kidney development and disease.