PhD position: How the ECM shapes neural crest cell behaviours

Are you an intellectually curious individual looking for a cross-disciplinary PhD project at the intersection of developmental biology, cell biology and mechanobiology? We have a fully funded 3.5 year PhD position available for UK/home students, starting 1 June 2026.

Neural crest cells are a highly migratory and mechanically responsive cells that undergo dramatic changes as they move through complex and changing tissue environments in the developing embryo. Neural crest cells contribute to essential structures including craniofacial skeleton, heart, and endocrine systems, while also forming the peripheral nervous system and pigmentation. Small changes in neural crest migration underlie evolutionary diversity while failures in neural crest development can lead to catastrophic congenital anomalies and cancers. This is particularly difficult to study because the developing embryo is not static, but instead embryonic tissues undergo significant changes in cohesion, adhesion, density and stiffness over time. These tissue mechanics likely guide and control the neural crest cell behaviours in the embryo.

Here, we (Karen Liu, Amy Beedle, Leone Rossetti) bring together developmental biology, mechanobiology and bioengineering to connect engineered microenvironments to physiologically relevant modes of migration and tissue organisation. We will use primary mouse neural crest cells, which can be cultured on defined biomaterial platforms with simplified ECM environments. Cells will be isolated from defined locations in the embryo, where we can correlate local molecular and physical parameters to behaviours. Together, we will use this approach to identify how ECM changes shape cellular decision making.

This interdisciplinary project brings together in vivo biology with bioengineering. The project will appeal to those with a keen interest in developmental biology and cell behaviours, who would like to incorporate biophysics and mechanobiology.

Informal enquires welcome:

Karen Liu (karen.liu@kcl.ac.uk) https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/karen-liu

Amy Beedle (amy.beedle@kcl.ac.uk) https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/amy-beedle

Leone Rossetti (leone.rossetti@kcl.ac.uk) https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/leone-rossetti