I’m Sameer Thukral, a special postdoctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Epithelial Morphogenesis, working with Yu-Chiun Wang, at RIKEN BDR, Kobe, Japan.

I’m interested in cell and tissue scale mechanics, specifically in studying the role of cytoplasm, large organelles and yolk in modulating mechanical properties. My current work involves studying yolk as a mechanically responsive substrate which buffers forces and ensures precise tissue folding during epithelial morphogenesis of the early Drosophila embryo. For my Ph.D, I studied the role of cytoarchitectural components, such as the cytoskeleton and large  organelles, in restricting free diffusion within the syncytial stages of Drosophila embryo. My work contributed to understanding how morphogens circumvent or take advantage of these diffusion barriers to ensure robust tissue patterning.