Guillaume Blin Research Group

Quantitative Biology of Pattern Formation

Multicellular organisms are fascinating: they are complex, dynamic, adaptive and display exceptional levels of organisation, yet they come into existence from relatively simple setouts.

Our research aims at identifying general principles explaining how the cells self-organise to form tissues with complex architectures and functions.

By acquiring a quantitative understanding of this question, we wish to advance our ability to engineer novel in vitro models of development and diseases and to inform future strategies for tissue regeneration and repair.

Dr Guillaume Blin

Group Leader

Contact details

• Work: 0131 651 9500
• Email: Guillaume.Blin@ed.ac.uk
• Web: Personal Profile

Aims and areas of interest

Our main hypothesis is that patterning is an emergent process. We are particularly interested in understanding how collective interactions occuring at the cellular level may predict the formation of patterns at the tissue level. We also aim to identify general design principles in the formation of tissues which might explain robustness and evolvability of multicellular organisation.

We adopt a forward engineering approach combining mathematical modelling with practical experiments. We use synthetic biology, quantitative imaging and micro-fabrication techniques in order to advance our understanding of patterning and our ability to engineer novel in vitro models of development and diseases. In the process we generate techniques and computational tools which we hope will benefit the broader community.