Contact information
Arif Kirmizitas
Postdoctoral Researcher
I am a developmental biologist with a keen interest in how cell fate decisions are governed at both intercellular and intracellular level. I did my PhD with Jerry Thomsen at SUNY Stony Brook, studying cell signalling events in germ layer formation during gastrulation. Later, I joined Roger Patient’s lab at the WIMM to continue working on signalling pathways and transcriptional regulatory networks but this time with a particular focus on cardiovascular and blood development using aquatic models, Xenopus and zebrafish.
Recently, I joined the Porcher lab on a BHF funded project to study cell fate priming and determination mechanisms during mammalian development. The main aim of my project is to develop a versatile genetic system to label and track cells starting from anytime point in any tissue up to adulthood by utilizing DNA barcoding and editing tools. We anticipate that this technology will enable us characterize the earliest cell fate decisions and probe cell signalling dynamics in much greater details than possible today. Ultimately, this knowledge will help design protocols aiming at producing clinically relevant cell types from hES and hiPS cells.
Key publications
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Dissecting BMP signaling input into the gene regulatory networks driving specification of the blood stem cell lineage.
Journal article
Kirmizitas A. et al, (2017), Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 114, 5814 - 5821
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Transforming Growth Factor β Drives Hemogenic Endothelium Programming and the Transition to Hematopoietic Stem Cells.
Journal article
Monteiro R. et al, (2016), Dev Cell, 38, 358 - 370
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Developmental hematopoiesis: ontogeny, genetic programming and conservation.
Journal article
Ciau-Uitz A. et al, (2014), Exp Hematol, 42, 669 - 683
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Gtpbp2 is required for BMP signaling and mesoderm patterning in Xenopus embryos
Journal article
Kirmizitas A. et al, (2014), Developmental Biology, 392, 358 - 367
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VEGFA-dependent and -independent pathways synergise to drive Scl expression and initiate programming of the blood stem cell lineage in Xenopus.
Journal article
Ciau-Uitz A. et al, (2013), Development, 140, 2632 - 2642