Yuri Iwamura

Profile

Neural crest (NC) cells are multipotent progenitors that give rise to a remarkable diversity of cell types, including neurons, mesenchymal derivatives, and pigment cells. This developmental versatility makes them an ideal model for understanding how tissue-specific gene regulatory networks (GRNs) control cell fate decisions. While key regulators and GRNs governing mesenchymal NC development have been extensively characterized, those underlying neuronal NC specification remain poorly understood. My research aims to identify the key regulators of cranial neuronal NC specification and reconstruct the GRNs underlying this process in zebrafish embryos by integrating single-cell RNA sequencing, chromatin accessibility profiling, and spatial transcriptomics. This work will provide new insights into how cranial neuronal NC identity is established during vertebrate development.