WHY DO MULTICELLULAR ORGANISM DIVERSIFY?
Why animals (and plants & fungi) diversified on Earth ~543 million years ago remains a mystery.
The diversification was preceded by eukaryotic cells forming multicellularity and then facilitated by conditions that we do not yet fully understand.
A source of information can be tumors, since cancer cells manage to shift between unicellular and multicellular stages. Cancer cells also demonstrate speciation as they develop resistance.
THE PUZZLES OF CELLULAR OXYGEN SENSING
Our group investigates the role of cellular oxygen sensing for the evolution of animals.
Oxygen sensing mechanism regulate responses as environmental conditions fluctuate. Perhaps most important role that oxygen sensing mechanisms may have is their ability to regulate cell stemness.
Tissue renewal requires stem cells, but these can be challenged by oxygen. We explore the paradox that animals require oxygen-sensitive cells for a life in oxic conditions.
