Bio-imaging expert to join EMBL Australia

EMBL Australia Head of Science, Prof Nadia Rosenthal, today announced the second Group Leader appointed to the EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network.

“Dr Nicolas Plachta is an outstanding young researcher doing advanced research in developmental biology”, said Prof Rosenthal.

“His appointment as Group Leader brings a expertise in fundamental biological processes that will advance Australian stem cell and regenerative medicine research”, said Prof Rosenthal.

Dr Plachta has developed specialised imaging tools to study the dynamics of proteins in live mouse embryos. Through these tools he investigates the role of specific proteins during the first stages of embryonic development.

His research provides insights into how cells and molecules interact during the early stages of life and may provide knowledge key to understanding, preventing and treating a range of diseases.

“Through the EMBL Australia initiative, we seek to attract and nurture the world’s future science leaders and boost Australia research quality”, said Prof Rosenthal.

Dr Plachta is originally from Argentina. He undertook his degree in Israel, his doctorate in Switzerland and is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology.

He will be based at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash University, Melbourne. ARMI is the headquarters of EMBL Australia.

EMBL Australia is an unincorporated joint venture between the CSIRO, Monash University, The University of Queensland, The University of Sydney and The University of Western Australia. It is supported by the Australian Government.

Media contact

Rachel Taylor           
Ph: 0411 288 672             
rachel.taylor@embleaustralia.org

BACKGROUND

About Nicolas Plachta

Born:	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Appointments:	University of Buenos Aires, Argentina (Undergraduate assistant) University of Tel Aviv, Israel (BSc) University of Basel, Switzerland (PhD) California Institute of Technology, USA (Post-doctoral fellow)
Research interests:	Cell and developmental biology, biological imaging, mammalian development, stem cells, neurobiology

        

Recent publications

Nikoletopoulou V, Plachta N, Allen ND, Haubst N, Götz M, Barde Y-A (2007). Neurotrophin receptor-mediated death of misspecified neurons generated from embryonic stem cells lacking Pax6. Cell Stem Cell (1) 529-540

Plachta N, Annaheim C, Bissiere S, Hoving S, Voshol V, Bibel M, Barde Y-A (2007). Identification of a lectin causing the degeneration of neuronal processes using engineered embryonic stem cells. Nature Neuroscience (6) 712-9

Plachta N, Bibel M, Tucker KL, Barde Y-A (2004). Developmental potential of defined neural progenitors derived from mouse embryonic stem cells. Development (21) 5449-56

Research description

Revealing the dynamic cellular and molecular mechanisms that pattern a mammalian embryo is key to understanding human biology and disease, yet few experimental systems permit to study dynamic physical aspects of cells and regulatory molecules in live mammalian embryos.

Dr Plachta’s research combines intravital single-cell imaging, genetics and quantitative methods to discover how the kinetics of key regulatory proteins control the establishment of early cell lineages in intact mouse embryos and pluripotent cells in culture. We also use live imaging tools to understand the main cellular mechanisms governing the formation of the first embryonic structures in the embryo, with a particular focus on cell movements and formation of the nervous system.

	Real-time live imaging of a mouse embryo undergoing its first mitotic division (0.5 days post fertilisation). Separating chromosomes are labeled green and the cell membrane red.
	Real-time live imaging of a mouse embryo after completion of gastrulation, surrounded by extra-embryonic membranes (8 days post fertilisation). The closing head folds and future umbilical cord are visible.

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