Spatiotemporal dissection of vascular heterogeneity

The cardiovascular and lymphatic systems deliver nutrients and remove waste products from every cell in the body, allowing our brains to process information, our hearts to beat and our muscles to move. The innermost layer of blood and lymphatic vessels is formed by a specialised cell type known as endothelial cells. These cells are important for normal organ function and tissue repair, and contribute to the development of pathologies that include heart disease and cancer. Yet despite their importance, we still do not fully understand how endothelial cells are formed. By studying the development of endothelial cells in animal models, our research will reveal how blood and lymphatic vessels are made. In the future, we hope that an improved understanding of these processes will allow us and others to develop new strategies to target endothelial cells, which will lead to improved treatments for a range of diseases.