Aissam Ikmi
@aikmi.bsky.social
Group Leader @EMBL. We study the design principles of "early" animals using cnidarians.
Pinned
Aissam Ikmi
@aikmi.bsky.social
· Feb 9
The evolution of shape diversity through the lens of physics—explored in our new paper! A fruitful collaboration between our lab @EMBL, Salbreux’s lab @unige & others, led by @BailleulRichar1—now independent at @ENS_ULM—& Nicolas Cuny. bit.ly/3WRqdEa
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Our paper on the role of neurons in Nematostella head regeneration is now out at @currentbiology.bsky.social Big thank you to all collaborators, it was a pleasure!
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone
Via genetic ablation of neurons, Mazloumi Gavgani et al. show that the nervous system
is essential for defining axial polarity during whole-body regeneration in the sea
anemone Nematostella vectensis.
www.cell.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Our paper on the role of neurons in Nematostella head regeneration is now out at @currentbiology.bsky.social Big thank you to all collaborators, it was a pleasure!
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Only a few days left for abstract submission at the brand new EMBO|EMBL Symposium Collectivity in living systems: emergence, function and evolution. We have stellar speakers in cell, animal collectives & beyond @priscaliberali.bsky.social @icouzin.bsky.social @ricardsole.bsky.social
Join us!
Join us!
November 7, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Only a few days left for abstract submission at the brand new EMBO|EMBL Symposium Collectivity in living systems: emergence, function and evolution. We have stellar speakers in cell, animal collectives & beyond @priscaliberali.bsky.social @icouzin.bsky.social @ricardsole.bsky.social
Join us!
Join us!
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Our Special Issue on Lifelong Development #LifelongDevSI is now complete!
Guest edited by Meri Huch and Mansi Srivastava, it contains 26 research and review-type articles.
On the cover: the dorsal vasculature of an adult zebrafish's first gill arch. See Preußner et al. doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Guest edited by Meri Huch and Mansi Srivastava, it contains 26 research and review-type articles.
On the cover: the dorsal vasculature of an adult zebrafish's first gill arch. See Preußner et al. doi.org/10.1242/dev....
November 3, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Our Special Issue on Lifelong Development #LifelongDevSI is now complete!
Guest edited by Meri Huch and Mansi Srivastava, it contains 26 research and review-type articles.
On the cover: the dorsal vasculature of an adult zebrafish's first gill arch. See Preußner et al. doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Guest edited by Meri Huch and Mansi Srivastava, it contains 26 research and review-type articles.
On the cover: the dorsal vasculature of an adult zebrafish's first gill arch. See Preußner et al. doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Also in #LifelongDevSI :
▪️Editorial
▪️Hypothesis on phenotypic plasticity
▪️2 interviews with our guest editors
▪️3 Reviews
▪️17 Research Articles and Reports
▪️3 Techniques and Resources
Full table of content: journals.biologists.com/dev/issue/15...
▪️Editorial
▪️Hypothesis on phenotypic plasticity
▪️2 interviews with our guest editors
▪️3 Reviews
▪️17 Research Articles and Reports
▪️3 Techniques and Resources
Full table of content: journals.biologists.com/dev/issue/15...
November 3, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Also in #LifelongDevSI :
▪️Editorial
▪️Hypothesis on phenotypic plasticity
▪️2 interviews with our guest editors
▪️3 Reviews
▪️17 Research Articles and Reports
▪️3 Techniques and Resources
Full table of content: journals.biologists.com/dev/issue/15...
▪️Editorial
▪️Hypothesis on phenotypic plasticity
▪️2 interviews with our guest editors
▪️3 Reviews
▪️17 Research Articles and Reports
▪️3 Techniques and Resources
Full table of content: journals.biologists.com/dev/issue/15...
Great having you at @embl.org, Michel! Inspiring science, great discussions, and a fantastic perspective on quantitative evo-devo.
Wonderful visit to @embl.org Heidelberg! Grateful to Alexandre Aulehla and @aikmi.bsky.social for the invitation and to all the group leaders, post-docs and students for the stimulating discussions.
Amazing science and a great community!
#EMBL #ScienceTalk #DevelopmentalBiology
Amazing science and a great community!
#EMBL #ScienceTalk #DevelopmentalBiology
November 3, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Great having you at @embl.org, Michel! Inspiring science, great discussions, and a fantastic perspective on quantitative evo-devo.
Had the pleasure of working with @mohannad-dardiry.bsky.social to rethink what it means to develop for life. Many thanks to @dev-journal.bsky.social! @embl.org #LifelongDevSI
October 31, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Had the pleasure of working with @mohannad-dardiry.bsky.social to rethink what it means to develop for life. Many thanks to @dev-journal.bsky.social! @embl.org #LifelongDevSI
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Latest from ours: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
October 5, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Latest from ours: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Finally, the excellent postdoc work of Emmanuel Haillot is out, where he dissected the integration of Wnt, MAPK and Notch signaling in defining mesoderm and endoderm identities in the diploblast Nematostella. Strikingly similar to sea urchins. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
August 29, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Finally, the excellent postdoc work of Emmanuel Haillot is out, where he dissected the integration of Wnt, MAPK and Notch signaling in defining mesoderm and endoderm identities in the diploblast Nematostella. Strikingly similar to sea urchins. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Want to help us image and understand those incredible samples Felix just collected at UBC - and many more?
2 more days to apply!
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
#ExM #PlanetaryCellBiology
🧪🧬🔬🌍🌱🦠
2 more days to apply!
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
#ExM #PlanetaryCellBiology
🧪🧬🔬🌍🌱🦠
August 22, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Want to help us image and understand those incredible samples Felix just collected at UBC - and many more?
2 more days to apply!
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
#ExM #PlanetaryCellBiology
🧪🧬🔬🌍🌱🦠
2 more days to apply!
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
#ExM #PlanetaryCellBiology
🧪🧬🔬🌍🌱🦠
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Want to acquire #ExM images like this and help us understand the true extent of cytoskeletal diversity across the tree of life? This position might be for you!
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
With @dudinlab.bsky.social
@embl.org @biology-unige.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
With @dudinlab.bsky.social
@embl.org @biology-unige.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
August 7, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Want to acquire #ExM images like this and help us understand the true extent of cytoskeletal diversity across the tree of life? This position might be for you!
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
With @dudinlab.bsky.social
@embl.org @biology-unige.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
With @dudinlab.bsky.social
@embl.org @biology-unige.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Latest paper elifesciences.org/articles/107... closes an important cycle in our efforts to study regeneration: week-long recordings allow us to observe the behaviour of cells during the entire course of regeneration in a crustacean leg – bright objects in movie are fluorescent nuclei of cells. 1/6
August 8, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Latest paper elifesciences.org/articles/107... closes an important cycle in our efforts to study regeneration: week-long recordings allow us to observe the behaviour of cells during the entire course of regeneration in a crustacean leg – bright objects in movie are fluorescent nuclei of cells. 1/6
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
August 8, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Ctenophores possess a unique aboral organ that acts as a multisensory center, controlling complex behaviors. We’ve now created a ctenophore model integrated with our 3D volume EM data. Puts it into perspective.
Check out our recent work here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#ctenophores #volumeEM
Check out our recent work here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#ctenophores #volumeEM
August 7, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Ctenophores possess a unique aboral organ that acts as a multisensory center, controlling complex behaviors. We’ve now created a ctenophore model integrated with our 3D volume EM data. Puts it into perspective.
Check out our recent work here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#ctenophores #volumeEM
Check out our recent work here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#ctenophores #volumeEM
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
our unexpected results on the importance of a neural cell adhesion molecule in sea anemone epithelialization and gastrulation are just posted in the following preprint.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Depletion of a neural cell adhesion molecule disrupts both epithelial and germ layer identity in sea anemone embryos
Assembly of cells into epithelial layers marks the early steps of tissue organization and embryonic development in most animals. Although several conserved proteins are known to be essential for epith...
www.biorxiv.org
August 6, 2025 at 5:27 AM
our unexpected results on the importance of a neural cell adhesion molecule in sea anemone epithelialization and gastrulation are just posted in the following preprint.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
Here our latest work on how morphogens trigger tissue phase transitions to tune their own length-scales and time-scales - An exciting collaboration with @zhvas.bsky.social @dianakhorom.bsky.social Bernat Corominas-Murtra and heroic experiments by the incredible @cami-autorino.bsky.social @embl.org
🔔 Proud to share the preprint of my PhD work in the Petridou group @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social @embl.org ✨
“A closed feedback between tissue phase transitions and morphogen gradients drives patterning dynamics” 🐟 🔁 📶
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#devbio #biophysics
🧵⤵️
“A closed feedback between tissue phase transitions and morphogen gradients drives patterning dynamics” 🐟 🔁 📶
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#devbio #biophysics
🧵⤵️
June 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Here our latest work on how morphogens trigger tissue phase transitions to tune their own length-scales and time-scales - An exciting collaboration with @zhvas.bsky.social @dianakhorom.bsky.social Bernat Corominas-Murtra and heroic experiments by the incredible @cami-autorino.bsky.social @embl.org
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
The last part of @paulknabl.bsky.social 's PhD is now available at www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Paul showed that BMP signaling is active in the diffuse nervous system of the sea anemone Nematostella and the box jellyfish Tripedalia. Moreover, suppression of BMP signaling in Nematostella leads...
Paul showed that BMP signaling is active in the diffuse nervous system of the sea anemone Nematostella and the box jellyfish Tripedalia. Moreover, suppression of BMP signaling in Nematostella leads...
The anti-neural role of BMP signaling is a side effect of its global function in dorsoventral patterning
In Bilateria with centralized nervous systems (e.g. in vertebrates or arthropods), the minimum of the BMP signaling activity gradient defines the position of the central nervous system. BMP-dependent ...
www.biorxiv.org
June 9, 2025 at 8:57 AM
The last part of @paulknabl.bsky.social 's PhD is now available at www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Paul showed that BMP signaling is active in the diffuse nervous system of the sea anemone Nematostella and the box jellyfish Tripedalia. Moreover, suppression of BMP signaling in Nematostella leads...
Paul showed that BMP signaling is active in the diffuse nervous system of the sea anemone Nematostella and the box jellyfish Tripedalia. Moreover, suppression of BMP signaling in Nematostella leads...
We thought we were just studying mesoglea biogenesis…Turns out Nematostella has been hiding a sophisticated backup pressure valve! Work driven by the talented PhD student Soham Basu! @embl.org www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
May 28, 2025 at 10:45 AM
We thought we were just studying mesoglea biogenesis…Turns out Nematostella has been hiding a sophisticated backup pressure valve! Work driven by the talented PhD student Soham Basu! @embl.org www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The evolution of shape diversity through the lens of physics—explored in our new paper! A fruitful collaboration between our lab @EMBL, Salbreux’s lab @unige & others, led by @BailleulRichar1—now independent at @ENS_ULM—& Nicolas Cuny. bit.ly/3WRqdEa
February 9, 2025 at 12:39 PM
The evolution of shape diversity through the lens of physics—explored in our new paper! A fruitful collaboration between our lab @EMBL, Salbreux’s lab @unige & others, led by @BailleulRichar1—now independent at @ENS_ULM—& Nicolas Cuny. bit.ly/3WRqdEa
Reposted by Aissam Ikmi
EMBL scientists have used sea anemones to study how animals restore their shape following major injuries.
The results show how, in regenerating animals, systemic molecular and cellular changes help in regaining the original shape. 🪄
www.embl.org/news/science...
🧪 #MolBiol
The results show how, in regenerating animals, systemic molecular and cellular changes help in regaining the original shape. 🪄
www.embl.org/news/science...
🧪 #MolBiol
November 29, 2024 at 4:05 PM
EMBL scientists have used sea anemones to study how animals restore their shape following major injuries.
The results show how, in regenerating animals, systemic molecular and cellular changes help in regaining the original shape. 🪄
www.embl.org/news/science...
🧪 #MolBiol
The results show how, in regenerating animals, systemic molecular and cellular changes help in regaining the original shape. 🪄
www.embl.org/news/science...
🧪 #MolBiol