Vanessa Weichselberger

I obtained my Master's degree in Biology from the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, after which I pursued my PhD under the supervision of Anne-Kathrin Classen at the University of Freiburg. My doctoral research focused on investigating how two cell populations, namely soma and germline, coordinate their morphogenesis with each other to construct the functional units of Drosophila egg chambers.

Fascinated by how the interplay of signalling and mechanics governs tissue self-organization, I joined Pierre-François Lenne's team. My research in the lab focuses on the role of external geometric boundary conditions on gastrulation events using 3D mouse gastruloids.

Publications

Jaiswal J, Egert J, Engesser R, Peyrotón AA, Nogay L, Weichselberger V, Crucianelli C, Grass I, Kreutz C, Timmer J and Classen AK (2023). Mutual repression between JNK/AP-1 and JAK/STAT stratifies senescent and proliferative cell behaviors during tissue regeneration. PLOS Biology. 2023.

Fischer F, Ernst L, Frey A, Holstein K, Prasad D, Weichselberger V, Balaji R, Classen AK (2023). A cell surface code mediates tissue-intrinsic defense against aberrant cells in epithelia. Biorxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/ 10.1101/2023.02.16.528665v1

Weichselberger V, Dondl P, Classen AK (2022) Eya-controlled affinity between cell lineages drives tissue self- organization during Drosophila oogenesis. Nature Communications. 2022. 13, 6377

Balaji R, Weichselberger V, Classen AK (2019) Response of epithelial cell and tissue shape to external forces in vivo. Development. 2019. doi: 10.1242/dev.171256

Bielmeier C *, Alt S *, Weichselberger V, La Fortezza M, Harz H, Jülicher F, Salbreux G, Classen AK (2016) Interface Contractility between Differently Fated Cells Drives Cell Elimination and Cyst Formation. Current Biology. 2016. 26(5):563-74