• Research Program Director of the Cell & Tissue Dynamics Research Program (2022-), Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki (Finland)
• Research Director (2022-), Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki (Finland)
• Assistant/Associate Professor (2013-2021), Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki (Finland)
• Maître-Assistant in Evo-Devo with Prof. M.C. Milinkovitch (2010-2013), University of Geneva (Switzerland)
• Postdoctoral Fellow in Evo-Devo with Prof. D. Duboule (2005-2009), University of Geneva (Switzerland)
• PhD in Life Sciences with Prof. W. Wahli (2005), University of Lausanne (Switzerland)

Complete researcher profile and publications on the University of Helsinki research database.

Julia received her PhD (2021) in our laboratory at the University of Helsinki, working on the developmental growth and regeneration processes in squamate eyes. She is now coordinating the multiple lab activities and helping with ongoing research on Evo-Devo.

Selected publications:

• Salomies L, Eymann J, Ollonen J, Khan I & Di-Poï N. The developmental origins of heterodonty and acrodonty as revealed by reptile dentitions. Science Advances 7(51): eabj7912 (2021). (Article)
• Eymann J & Di-Poï N. Glia-mediated regenerative response following acute excitotoxic damage in the postnatal squamate retina. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 8: 406 (2020). (Article)
• Eymann J, Salomies L, Macrì S & Di-Poï N. Variations in the proliferative activity of the peripheral retina correlate with postnatal ocular growth in squamate reptiles. Journal of Comparative Neurology 527(14): 2356-2370 (2019). (Article)
• Salomies L, Eymann J, Khan I & Di-Poï N. The alternative regenerative strategy of bearded dragon unveils the key processes underlying vertebrate tooth renewal. eLife 8: e47702 (2019). (Article)

Julia's profile and publications on the University of Helsinki research database.

Simone obtained a Master’s degree in Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Pisa (Italy) and a PhD degree in Neuroscience at the University of Helsinki in 03/2022. He now continues working on brain evo-devo as a Postdoctoral Researcher in our Lab.

Selected publications:

• Macrì S & Di-Poï N. Heterochronic Developmental Shifts Underlying Squamate Cerebellar Diversity Unveil the Key Features of Amniote Cerebellogenesis. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 8: 593377 (2020). (Article)
• Macrì S, Savriama Y, Khan I & Di-Poï N. Comparative analysis of squamate brains unveils multi-level variation in cerebellar architecture associated with locomotor specialization. Nature Communications 10(1): 5560 (2019). (Article)
• Eymann J, Salomies L, Macrì S & Di-Poï N. Variations in the proliferative activity of the peripheral retina correlate with postnatal ocular growth in squamate reptiles. Journal of Comparative Neurology 527(14): 2356-2370 (2019). (Article)

Simone's profile and publications on the University of Helsinki research database.

Joni obtained his Master's degree in Physiology and Neuroscience in our lab at the University of Helsinki. He is currently completing his project on Craniofacial Evo-Devo as a PhD student.

Selected publications:

• Salomies L, Eymann J, Ollonen J, Khan I & Di-Poï N. The developmental origins of heterodonty and acrodonty as revealed by reptile dentitions. Science Advances 7(51): eabj7912 (2021). (Article)
• Khannoon ER, Ollonen J & Di-Poï N. Embryonic development of skull bones in the Sahara horned viper (Cerastes cerastes), with new insights into structures related to the basicranium and braincase roof. Journal of Anatomy (2020). (Article)
• Da Silva FO, Fabre AC, Savriama Y, Ollonen J, Mahlow K, Herrel A, Müller J & Di-Poï N. The ecological origins of snakes as revealed by skull evolution. Nature Communications 9(1): 376 (2018). (Article)
• Ollonen J, Da Silva FO, Mahlow K & Di-Poï N Skull development, ossification pattern and adult shape in the emerging lizard model organism Pogona vitticeps: a comparative analysis with other squamates. Frontiers in Physiology 9: 278 (2018). (Article)

Joni's profile and publications on the University of Helsinki research database.

Daria obtained a Master’s degree in Evolutionary Biology at the Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia). Her Master’s thesis on morphofunctional specialization and evolution of body structures in amniotes was conducted at at the Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia) and Howard University (USA). She has been greatly interested on Evolutionary and Developmental Biology since her bachelor’s and is currently doing her PhD on Evo-Devo.

Selected publications:

• Diogo R, Razmadze D, Siomava N, Douglas N, Fuentes JSM & Duerinckx A. Musculoskeletal study of cebocephalic and cyclopic lamb heads illuminates links between normal and abnormal development, evolution and human pathologies. Scientific Reports 30(9): 991 (2019). (Article)
• Razmadze D, Panyutina AA & Zelenkov NV. Anatomy of the forelimb musculature and ligaments of Psittacus erithacus (Aves: Psittaciformes). Journal of Anatomy 233(4): 496-530 (2018). (Article)

Daria's profile and publications on the University of Helsinki research database.

Ida recently obtained her Master's degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in our lab at the University of Helsinki. She is now starting her PhD studies on Craniofacial Evo-Devo.

Selected publications:

None

Caleb obtained his Master’s degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba, Canada. He is now working on Craniofacial Developmental Genetics as a PhD student.

Selected publications:

• Kurchaba N, Cassone BJ, Northam CT, Ardelli BF & LeMoine CMR. Effects of MP polyethylene microparticles on microbiome and inflammatory response of larval zebrafish. Toxics. 8(3): 55 (2020). (Article)
• Northam CT & LeMoine CMR. Metabolic regulation by the PGC-1α and PGC-1β coactivators in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A Mol. Integr. Physiol. 234: 60-67 (2019). (Article)
• Ugwuagbo KC, Maiti S, Omar A, Hunter S, Nault B, Northam CT & Majumder M. Prostaglandin E2 promotes embryonic vascular development and maturation in zebrafish. Biology Open. 8(4): bio039768 (2019). (Article)

Caleb's profile and publications on the University of Helsinki research database.

Fabien obtained a joint Master’s degree in Paleontology at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (France) and Institute of Biotechnology (Finland), working on the evolution of vertebrate tooth complexity using fossil and modern data. He is currently continuing this project as a PhD student.

Selected publications:

Lafuma F, Corfe IJ, Clavel J & Di-Poï N. Multiple evolutionary origins and losses of tooth complexity in squamates. Nature Communications 12: 6001 (2021). (Article)

Fabien's profile and publications on the University of Helsinki research database.

Juuso studies in the Master´s Programme in Life Science Technologies at Aalto University, specializing on complex systems and network science. He is currently doing his Master thesis on Evo-Devo in our lab under the supervision of Daria Razmadze.

Ann-Christine Aho and Maria Partanen (Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki) are involved in the management and care of reptile species in our lab.