Dr Marcus Bischoff

Dr Marcus Bischoff

Lecturer

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 7199
Email
mb273@st-andrews.ac.uk

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Research areas

We are interested in how shape and form arise during animal development. During morphogenesis, cells interpret complex information and react accordingly to shape tissues and organs. Here, many cell behaviours, such as cell migration and cell shape changes, work together. Despite recent progress, it still remains mysterious how all these behaviours are regulated and coordinated.

To study cell behaviours in the living organism, we use the morphogenesis of the adult abdominal epidermis of Drosophila. Employing a combination of in vivo 4D microscopy and sophisticated genetic tools, we observe and quantify all cell behaviours after experimental manipulation of the system. We have two major areas of interest: (1) What are the signals that instruct the cells to execute certain behaviours during morphogenesis? (2) How do cells translate these signals into specific actions, such as migration and constriction? Addressing these questions will enable us to gain a deeper understanding of morphogenetic processes and the underlying cell behaviours as well as of how the mechanical forces that ultimately drive morphogenesis are created. These insights will be of widespread relevance, since the (mis-) regulation of cell behaviour is also fundamental to wound repair and numerous diseases, including cancer.

PhD supervision

  • AimeeÌýBebbington
  • CareyÌýLi
  • NadiaÌýO'Hara

Selected publications

  • Open access
    Mackay, E., Bebbington, A., Januschke, J., Kursawe, J., Bischoff, M. & Sknepnek, R., 20 Jan 2026, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 123, 3, p. 1-12 12 p., e2503955123.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Warsop, S. J. E. T., Caixeiro , S., Bischoff, M., Kursawe, J., Bruce, G. D. & Wijesinghe, P., 4 Jun 2025, In: npj Artificial Intelligence. 1, 12 p., 6.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Mackay, E. D., Bebbington, A., Januschke, J., Kursawe, J., Bischoff, M. & Sknepnek, R., 5 Oct 2024, bioRxiv, 33 p.

    Research output: Working paper › Preprint

  • Open access
    Harding, C. J., Bischoff, M., Bergkessel, M. & Melo Czekster, C., 1 Sept 2023, In: Nature Chemical Biology. 19, 9, p. 1158-1166 15 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Pulido Companys, P., Norris, A. & Bischoff, M., 30 Mar 2020, In: Journal of Cell Science. 133, 6, 18 p., jcs235325.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Baena-Lopez, L. A., Arthurton, L., Bischoff, M., Vincent, J.-P., Alexandre, C. & McGregor, R., 4 Dec 2018, In: Development. 145, 23, 11 p., dev170811.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Seijo, I., Guerrero, I. & Bischoff, M., 2015, Methods in Molecular Biology: Hedgehog Signalling Protocols. Riobo, N. (ed.). Springer Science and Business Media, Vol. 1322.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

  • Open access
    Saxena, A., Denholm, B., Bunt, S., Bischoff, M., VijayRaghavan, K. & Skaer, H., 2 Dec 2014, In: PLoS Biology. 12, 12, 17 p., e1002013.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Gradilla, A.-C., González, E., Seijo, I., Andrés, G., Bischoff, M., González-Mendez, L., Sánchez, V., Callejo, A., Ibáñez, C., Guerra, M., Ortigão-Farias, J. R., Sutherland, J. D., González, M., Barrio, R., Falcón-Pérez, J. M. & Guerrero, I., 4 Dec 2014, In: Nature Communications. 5, 13 p., 5649.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Pérez-Moreno, J. J., Bischoff, M., Martín-Bermudo, M. D. & Estrada, B., Jul 2014, In: Journal of Cell Science. 127, p. 3162-3173

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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