About me

Hi, my name is Daniel Aldea (he/him), and I am a developmental biologist. Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by how the genome can orchestrate the formation of animals! As an undergrad student at the Sylvain Marcellini laboratory, I investigated the cellular mechanisms underlying the vertebrates' skeleton mineralization. Then, during my PhD, at the Bertrand-Escriva laboratory, I focused on the study of morphological transitions between early non-vertebrate chordates to vertebrates. Specifically, understanding the formation of the unsegmented head mesoderm among vertebrates. 

While core developmental processes are widely shared across different phyla, my curiosity then sharpened toward the understanding of the biology of organs unique to mammals. That is why, I moved to the Kamberov laboratory, to study the genetic mechanisms that govern the formation of skin-associated organs. Currently, I am working at the Etchevers laboratory dissecting the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in rare skin congenital diseases. 

When I am not at the laboratory, I like to spend my time outdoor biking/hiking or simply enjoying music.

Interests: genome regulation, human skin, developmental biology, evolution.