Postdoctoral Position – Evolutionary Morphogenesis

Mammals evolved divergent architectures of placenta to receive nourishment from the mother during embryogenesis. In our lab, we seek to understand how the uterine microenvironment shapes the fetal-placental interface of various animals, by using early embryos and placental organoids. Our ultimate goal is to investigate how complex and diverse structures emerge to achieve similar functions.

The placenta is an essential organ for the success of mammalian reproduction. Even though the internal organs are structurally similar in the early embryonic stages across mammals, the placenta evolved strikingly different architectures. By taking a comparative approach, we aim to understand the mechanisms underlying how placenta became different from a morphological point of view, while retaining a similar function across species.

The Gerri lab is located at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden, Germany. The MPI-CBG is embedded in the Dresden campus, which offers a vibrant community working on developmental biology, mechanobiology, biophysics and stem cell biology. Great collaborations are established in the Dresden community, offering a strongly interdisciplinary research experience.