ABOUT ME
I am a biologist with a broad background in evolutionary developmental biology of invertebrates and interested in all kinds of microscopic techniques. Combining these fields, I currently work on live imaging morphogenesis during development of arthropods. My special interests are early developmental events like cleavages and blastoderm formation, morphogenetic processes like gastrulation, limb growth and axial elongation, and organogenesis as nervous system development. By developing and applying tools for cell lineaging and cell tracking I try to discover the cellular architecture and cellular dynamics that orchestrate organ and tissue morphogenesis.
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This sequence is accomplished by light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and shows first morphogenetic processes during embryonic development. Image processing with FIJI, 3D rendering with AMIRA. copyright: carsten wolff, berlin; carsten.wolff@web.de
Developmental sequence of thorakopod 2 with highlighted differentiation process along P/D axis - Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy data plus 3D rendering (Imaris). copyright: carsten wolff, berlin; carsten.wolff@web.de
In-vivo labeling of lineage specific cells at 8-cell stage of the amphipod crustacean Orchestia cavimana give rise to muscle precursor cells (red cells in left image) that eventually produce muscle cells in hatchling (red structure in right image). Embryo and hachtling are counter-stained with a nucleus specific marker (blue) copyright: carsten wolff, berlin; carsten.wolff@web.de
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Dorsal view of a µCT san data set. Right half surface rendering, Left half shows organs (green: poison gland, yellow: brain, red: heart, blue: booklung) segmented in AMIRA. copyright: carsten wolff, berlin; carsten.wolff@web.de
Developmental sequence of the amphipod crustacean Hyperia galba. 3D renderings of CLSM stacks of nucleus stained embryos. copyright: carsten wolff, berlin; carsten.wolff@web.de
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3D rendering of µCT scan data set. Colored structures show organ systems (yellow: central nervous system, red: heart and aorta, green: digestive system, blue: gonads) segmented in AMIRA. The right picture shows impressively different limb types in one organism adapted to various functionalities. copyright: carsten wolff, berlin; carsten.wolff@web.de
Go to linkEDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Morphogenesis
Morphogenesis is driven by patterned cell activities. Using limb development as model I am interested in the cellular architecture and cellular dynamics that orchestrate organ and tissue morphogenesis.
2020 - present
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USA
Research Imaging Specialist
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2016 - 2019
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Lecturer and Substitute Teacher at Hagenbeck-Schule, Berlin-Weißensee (Secondary School)
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2013 - 2016
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Independent Post-doctoral Research Associate funded by Einstein Foundation Berlin
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2011 - 2013
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Post-doctoral Research Associate
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2004 - 2011
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Non-tenure Assistant Professor / Hochschulassistent (termed C1-Position)
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2006 - 2007
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, USA
Post-doctoral Research Associate, Laboratory of Prof. Volker Hartenstein
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2001 - 2004
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Doctoral thesis / PhD (magna cum laude), topic of dissertation “Limb development in crustaceans“, supervisor: Gerhard Scholtz
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1995 - 2001
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Studies of biology (Diplom), main subjects: Zoology, Microbiology, Biochemistry
Phenotypic plasticity
Phenotypic plasticity is the change of morphology in direct response to changes in the environment. Using mvLSFM allows me to image Daphnia embryos in-toto throughout development and to reveal the cellular architecture and cellular dynamics underlying phenotypic plasticity.
Pattern formation
Pattern formation during early cleavages or germ band elongation is a common feature for many crustaceans. Only few is known about the transition from early blastoderm formation (radial germ disc) towards the germ band extension alsong the a/p axis. I am in particular interested in cell-patterning processes during re-organisazion the radial-to-axis symmetry.