Research

Research Projects

• Regulation of angiogenesis and vascular permeability.
• Regulation of neuronal development and regeneration.
• Roles of neural crest cells in heart and great vessel formation.
• Roles of macrophages in physiological and pathological angiogenesis.
• Relationship of angiogenesis and neurogenesis.
• Identifying vascular cell lineage origins.

Key achievements

• VEGF forms gradients that guide angiogenesis in developing organs.
• Macrophages help blood vessel sprouts to fuse into perfused circuits.
• Dual NRP1 role in VEGF and matrix signalling for retina angiogenesis.
• VEGF signals through NRP1 for proper neuronal migration and survival.
• VEGF signals through NRP1 to guide axons for stereo vision.
• Neural crest cells secrete VEGF to instruct arteriogenesis for jaw growth.
• Neural crest cells secrete SEMA3C to instruct cardiac outflow tract septation into the base of the aorta and pulmonary artery.
• Defective SEMA3A signalling compromises puberty.
• Erythromyeloid progenitors give rise to endothelial cells for organ vascularisation.

Prizes and awards

• Gordon Research Conference organiser (2024; GRC Endothelial Cell Phenotypes)
• Judah Folkman Award (2018, NAVBO)
• Cheryll Tickle Medal (2018, BSDB)
• Investigator Award (2016; Wellcome Trust)
• Academic Role Model (2013; UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences)
• Junior Investigator Award (2011; Wellcome Trust)
• Career Development Award (2003-2007; MRC)
• Werner-Risau-Prize (2003; German Society for Cell Biology)
• Young Cell Biologist of the Year (1996; British Society for Cell Biology)

Protocols and resources

Plasmids

Our lab has deposited plasmids at Addgene for distribution to the research community. Addgene is a non-profit plasmid repository dedicated to improving life science research.

• Christiana Ruhrberg's page at Addgene

Collaborators

	James Bainbridge, Steve Wilson
	Lynda Erskine
	Anna Cariboni, Alessandro Fantin
	Anne Eichmann, Michael Simons
	Quenten Schwarz

Funders