Christoph Budjan
@cbudjan.com
Project lead - Lecturer @HMS & Scientist @DFCI
Studying cell fate & self-organization using #gastruloids #stembryos #devbio #sysbio
Previously: Pourquie (HMS), Martinez-Arias (Cambridge), Rawlins (Cambridge), Boutros (Heidelberg) labs
cbudjan.com
Studying cell fate & self-organization using #gastruloids #stembryos #devbio #sysbio
Previously: Pourquie (HMS), Martinez-Arias (Cambridge), Rawlins (Cambridge), Boutros (Heidelberg) labs
cbudjan.com
Pinned
Christoph Budjan
@cbudjan.com
· Nov 10
1/4 How do cells in an embryo decide what they’ll become? In our lab at Harvard Medical School, we use human stem cell-based embryo models called #Gastruloids to study how cells make fate decisions and self-organize into complex tissues. #SCEM #Stembryos #DevBio #StemCells
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
🌍Open call: Junior Group Leader positions!
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...
November 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
🌍Open call: Junior Group Leader positions!
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
One of, so far 3 lectures being delivered @college-de-france.fr by @neilshubin.bsky.social
on our fish origins.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B6y...
Wonderful flow, educational, inspirational.
How we learn @ our ancestry. The origin of #walking. How we got our skeleton #MustWatch
on our fish origins.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B6y...
Wonderful flow, educational, inspirational.
How we learn @ our ancestry. The origin of #walking. How we got our skeleton #MustWatch
Neil Shubin (1) - Denis Duboule (2025-2026)
YouTube video by Sciences de la vie - Collège de France
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:59 PM
One of, so far 3 lectures being delivered @college-de-france.fr by @neilshubin.bsky.social
on our fish origins.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B6y...
Wonderful flow, educational, inspirational.
How we learn @ our ancestry. The origin of #walking. How we got our skeleton #MustWatch
on our fish origins.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B6y...
Wonderful flow, educational, inspirational.
How we learn @ our ancestry. The origin of #walking. How we got our skeleton #MustWatch
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Thrilled to share my main postdoc work with @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hierarchical lineage architecture of human and avian spinal cord revealed by single-cell genomic barcoding
The formation of neural circuits depends on the precise spatial and temporal organisation of neuronal populations during development. In the vertebrate spinal cord, progenitors are patterned into mole...
www.biorxiv.org
October 26, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Thrilled to share my main postdoc work with @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Like Wnt signalling? How about Notch? How about both together (Wntch!)... in gastruloids? Come and and apply for a PhD studentship with us in Liverpool! Applications open 30th October! tinyurl.com/3bpx3y2b
MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: How does Wnt and Notch (Wntch) signalling coordinate cell fate assignment during gastrulation? at University of Liverpool on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: How does Wnt and Notch (Wntch) signalling coordinate cell fate assignment during gastrulation? at University of Liverpool, listed on FindAPhD.com
tinyurl.com
October 24, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Like Wnt signalling? How about Notch? How about both together (Wntch!)... in gastruloids? Come and and apply for a PhD studentship with us in Liverpool! Applications open 30th October! tinyurl.com/3bpx3y2b
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
We're now recruiting early career group leaders at the Crick to lead ambitious research programmes and explore bold scientific questions.
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
October 9, 2025 at 2:06 PM
We're now recruiting early career group leaders at the Crick to lead ambitious research programmes and explore bold scientific questions.
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS (1933-2025) | Magdalene College
Magdalene College is deeply saddened to announce the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS, who served as Master of the College from 1995 to 2002.
www.magd.cam.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Organizing time past, remembered this summary of many thoughts that I continue to pursue
And nowhere rings more true that ‘the detail of pattern is the movement’ than in the actions of cells as they build #embryos
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbQV...
#CellsRUs #MasterBuilder
And nowhere rings more true that ‘the detail of pattern is the movement’ than in the actions of cells as they build #embryos
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbQV...
#CellsRUs #MasterBuilder
Landscapes and embryos : A film from A. Martinez Arias
YouTube video by Cambridge University
www.youtube.com
October 3, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Organizing time past, remembered this summary of many thoughts that I continue to pursue
And nowhere rings more true that ‘the detail of pattern is the movement’ than in the actions of cells as they build #embryos
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbQV...
#CellsRUs #MasterBuilder
And nowhere rings more true that ‘the detail of pattern is the movement’ than in the actions of cells as they build #embryos
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbQV...
#CellsRUs #MasterBuilder
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Robert Edwards, #IVF pioneer and someone who, unknowingly, bridged #DevBio #Gynecology and Endocrinology in a highly successful manner.
September 26, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Robert Edwards, #IVF pioneer and someone who, unknowingly, bridged #DevBio #Gynecology and Endocrinology in a highly successful manner.
Thrilled to share new work from Jun Liu & collaborators (with minor contributions from our lab), now on bioRxiv: SH6, a small molecule that boosts fetal hemoglobin, offering a new path for sickle cell + β-thalassemia therapies.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#SickleCellDisease #Thalassemia
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#SickleCellDisease #Thalassemia
Discovery of A Small Molecule non-IMiD Degrader of ZBTB7A for the Treatment of β-hemoglobinopathies
Sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia, two major β-hemoglobinopathies, pose significant clinical challenges globally. Current treatments often face limitations in efficacy and tolerability. The transc...
www.biorxiv.org
September 23, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Thrilled to share new work from Jun Liu & collaborators (with minor contributions from our lab), now on bioRxiv: SH6, a small molecule that boosts fetal hemoglobin, offering a new path for sickle cell + β-thalassemia therapies.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#SickleCellDisease #Thalassemia
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#SickleCellDisease #Thalassemia
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
We are searching for an enthusiastic scientist to join our team and establish annual killifish as a model system for early developmental biology and biophysics! @embl.org @embldbunit.bsky.social
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
August 8, 2025 at 9:01 AM
We are searching for an enthusiastic scientist to join our team and establish annual killifish as a model system for early developmental biology and biophysics! @embl.org @embldbunit.bsky.social
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
It’s always a bit awkward to write about personal experiences. I tried to touch on what Pride means to me and ended up reflecting on heteronormativity, passing, and allyship. Thank you @slefkopoulos.bsky.social for the great opportunity! @ucph.bsky.social
#LGBTQIA+ #PRIDE #Diversity
#LGBTQIA+ #PRIDE #Diversity
🏳️🌈Our editor @slefkopoulos.bsky.social discussed with @jzylicz.bsky.social about the importance of celebrating Pride, representation in science, and more! Happy Pride!
Read here: rdcu.be/ewfba
bit.ly/3Uc72TO
Read here: rdcu.be/ewfba
bit.ly/3Uc72TO
Coming out is not a one-time event - Nature Cell Biology
June is the month celebrating Pride in the USA and other countries around the world to honour the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, as well as all progress and current strives claiming equal justice for mem...
bit.ly
July 15, 2025 at 4:17 AM
It’s always a bit awkward to write about personal experiences. I tried to touch on what Pride means to me and ended up reflecting on heteronormativity, passing, and allyship. Thank you @slefkopoulos.bsky.social for the great opportunity! @ucph.bsky.social
#LGBTQIA+ #PRIDE #Diversity
#LGBTQIA+ #PRIDE #Diversity
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Two new preprints from the @arjunraj.bsky.social on #gastruloids. Both excellent. Exploring the relationship between macroscopic reproducibility v microscopic heterogeneity. Stunning experiments and much to think about
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
July 15, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Two new preprints from the @arjunraj.bsky.social on #gastruloids. Both excellent. Exploring the relationship between macroscopic reproducibility v microscopic heterogeneity. Stunning experiments and much to think about
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
biorxiv.org/content/earl...
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
A new call to revise the limit to culture human embryos, currently not allowed beyond 14 days (start of gastrulation) to 28 days www.nature.com/articles/d41....
There is no new argument here to add to earlier calls but, as often in this argument, certain caveats are glossed over….. . 🧵
There is no new argument here to add to earlier calls but, as often in this argument, certain caveats are glossed over….. . 🧵
Human embryo research: how to move towards a 28-day limit
The decades-old limit on how long human embryos can be grown in culture is under debate. A new road map outlines how to extend the length of culture responsibly.
www.nature.com
July 6, 2025 at 8:08 AM
A new call to revise the limit to culture human embryos, currently not allowed beyond 14 days (start of gastrulation) to 28 days www.nature.com/articles/d41....
There is no new argument here to add to earlier calls but, as often in this argument, certain caveats are glossed over….. . 🧵
There is no new argument here to add to earlier calls but, as often in this argument, certain caveats are glossed over….. . 🧵
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Experimental embryology postdoc available in my lab at the @biology.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk working on the evolution of vertebral counts. Reach out if you’re passionate about EvoDevo, enjoy lab work and microscopy and are into or could get into cichlid fishes. Deadline on the 16th June. Please share!
May 19, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Experimental embryology postdoc available in my lab at the @biology.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk working on the evolution of vertebral counts. Reach out if you’re passionate about EvoDevo, enjoy lab work and microscopy and are into or could get into cichlid fishes. Deadline on the 16th June. Please share!
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
A few reflections on the Barcelona @PRBB #gastruloid meeting
🧵
🧵
March 23, 2025 at 12:28 PM
A few reflections on the Barcelona @PRBB #gastruloid meeting
🧵
🧵
I had an amazing time attending the gastruloid meeting in BCN! It felt great connecting with other people in the field and seeing many familiar faces. Lots of exciting science with #gastruloids being used to address many open questions from basic to translational.
The Barcelona #gastruloid meeting has been a blast. A witness to a field that is maturing and a statement of a promise that lurks in its horizon. Thank you @joshifrenster.bsky.social @dias-andre.bsky.social and Ulla Fiuza for the organization, @EMBO, @ERC and the community for support.
March 22, 2025 at 9:17 AM
I had an amazing time attending the gastruloid meeting in BCN! It felt great connecting with other people in the field and seeing many familiar faces. Lots of exciting science with #gastruloids being used to address many open questions from basic to translational.
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
There's increasing evidence that in organoid/embryoids conditions of cells at start of experiments is crucial/ determines outcome. Much to be learnt still. Taking advantage of mouse #gastruloids, two groups explore this here. Important work to calibrate the field www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
March 19, 2025 at 12:01 PM
There's increasing evidence that in organoid/embryoids conditions of cells at start of experiments is crucial/ determines outcome. Much to be learnt still. Taking advantage of mouse #gastruloids, two groups explore this here. Important work to calibrate the field www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Are you are eager to deepen your knowledge on #organoids and explore research from both academia and industry?
Join #BaCell3D 2025! Beyond an excellent scientific program, you will have the chance to benefit from tailored workshops for scientists, engaging poster sessions and networking events!
Join #BaCell3D 2025! Beyond an excellent scientific program, you will have the chance to benefit from tailored workshops for scientists, engaging poster sessions and networking events!
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!🚨
conferences.unibas.ch/frontend/ind...
Date: June 23-25, 2025
Venue: ZLF Hörsaal, University of Basel
Early bird registration: 300 CHF
Registration with abstract submission: 100 CHF
Deadline April 28th⏳
Join us to stay updated on the latest advancements in #organoids!
conferences.unibas.ch/frontend/ind...
Date: June 23-25, 2025
Venue: ZLF Hörsaal, University of Basel
Early bird registration: 300 CHF
Registration with abstract submission: 100 CHF
Deadline April 28th⏳
Join us to stay updated on the latest advancements in #organoids!
March 3, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Are you are eager to deepen your knowledge on #organoids and explore research from both academia and industry?
Join #BaCell3D 2025! Beyond an excellent scientific program, you will have the chance to benefit from tailored workshops for scientists, engaging poster sessions and networking events!
Join #BaCell3D 2025! Beyond an excellent scientific program, you will have the chance to benefit from tailored workshops for scientists, engaging poster sessions and networking events!
Great opportunity to work on super exciting projects using gastruloids with a brilliant, supportive mentor!
🧫Looking for a PhD to start Autumn 2025? We're recruiting! 🧪
The project will focus on using #embryomodels to explore #development & could cover a range of specific questions. Please RT! 🙏
Apply via the portal, and get more details here: www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
The project will focus on using #embryomodels to explore #development & could cover a range of specific questions. Please RT! 🙏
Apply via the portal, and get more details here: www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
February 20, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Great opportunity to work on super exciting projects using gastruloids with a brilliant, supportive mentor!
Great opportunity for Boston folks interested in learning image analysis and automation using ImageJ/Fiji
Join us for our first workshops of 2025!
📌 Workshop 1: Image analysis with ImageJ/Fiji
📆 Date: Jan 22 & 24, 2025
🔗 tinyurl.com/iac-fiji-202...
📌 Workshop 2: ImageJ/Fiji's macro language
📆 Date: Jan 28, 2025
🔗 tinyurl.com/iac-fiji-mac...
📍 Location: HMS campus, Boston
Open to all—don't miss out!
📌 Workshop 1: Image analysis with ImageJ/Fiji
📆 Date: Jan 22 & 24, 2025
🔗 tinyurl.com/iac-fiji-202...
📌 Workshop 2: ImageJ/Fiji's macro language
📆 Date: Jan 28, 2025
🔗 tinyurl.com/iac-fiji-mac...
📍 Location: HMS campus, Boston
Open to all—don't miss out!
January 9, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Great opportunity for Boston folks interested in learning image analysis and automation using ImageJ/Fiji
Intriguing study showing decoupling btw morphogenesis and patterning in gastruloids. An observation that many people in the field have known but great to see this tackled in a systematic and quantitative manner. See also related papers by @amartinezarias.bsky.social and @viktri08.bsky.social labs
Happy to share our collaborative effort showing a temporal decoupling between morphogenesis and transcription during gastruloids self-organization
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Size-dependent temporal decoupling of morphogenesis and transcriptional programs in gastruloids
Understanding the interplay between cell fate specification and morphogenetic changes remains a central challenge in developmental biology. Gastruloids, self-organizing stem cell-based models of post-...
www.biorxiv.org
December 24, 2024 at 5:05 PM
Intriguing study showing decoupling btw morphogenesis and patterning in gastruloids. An observation that many people in the field have known but great to see this tackled in a systematic and quantitative manner. See also related papers by @amartinezarias.bsky.social and @viktri08.bsky.social labs
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
📣 Please share: We’re hiring a tenure-track Group Leader in Multicellular Systems to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving the formation, maintenance, or destabilization of tissues, organs and organisms. Apply at: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...
December 16, 2024 at 11:50 AM
📣 Please share: We’re hiring a tenure-track Group Leader in Multicellular Systems to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving the formation, maintenance, or destabilization of tissues, organs and organisms. Apply at: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...
Beautiful evolution of human gastruloids to human TLS to study co-development of neural tube and somites! #gastruloids #TLS #SCEM
Have you ever wondered how your back formed? The human embryo makes a neural tube (future spinal cord) and somites (trunk muscle/bone) from ~d20. They’re formed at the same time and place, so we used human Trunk-like Structures (hTLS) to investigate their ‘co-development’… (1/7)
December 18, 2024 at 11:42 PM
Beautiful evolution of human gastruloids to human TLS to study co-development of neural tube and somites! #gastruloids #TLS #SCEM
Comprehensive review on extraembryonic tissues during mammalian development by @srinivas-lab.bsky.social - looks like required reading for everyone interested in mammalian development, including #SCEM folks! Congrats and thanks to @shifaant.bsky.social & @cwhanna.bsky.social
Nice to see our latest review published in
@natrevmcb.bsky.social today – a collaborative exploration of mammalian extraembryonic development with @cwhanna.bsky.social for an invaluable epigenetic focus. @srinivas-lab.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@natrevmcb.bsky.social today – a collaborative exploration of mammalian extraembryonic development with @cwhanna.bsky.social for an invaluable epigenetic focus. @srinivas-lab.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Origin, fate and function of extraembryonic tissues during mammalian development - Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
During mammalian embryogenesis, extraembryonic tissues are required for the patterning and morphogenesis of the embryo. This Review discusses how signalling networks and epigenetic modifications regul...
www.nature.com
December 4, 2024 at 5:49 PM
Comprehensive review on extraembryonic tissues during mammalian development by @srinivas-lab.bsky.social - looks like required reading for everyone interested in mammalian development, including #SCEM folks! Congrats and thanks to @shifaant.bsky.social & @cwhanna.bsky.social
Reposted by Christoph Budjan
Anyone working with single nuclei data should read this paper! (single cell too, but for nuclei data it's essential)
If I could only have one QC metric for single nuclei data, it would be spliced pct / intronic fraction (I think it's more useful even than number of UMIs 🤯).
#SingleCell
If I could only have one QC metric for single nuclei data, it would be spliced pct / intronic fraction (I think it's more useful even than number of UMIs 🤯).
#SingleCell
Not checking nuclear markers like MALAT1 or intronic reads in your scRNA-seq data?🚨
We show their power to flag low-quality cells—even in top public datasets. It’s time to prioritize better QC for cleaner, more reliable genomics research!
Read more: bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
1/8
High content of nuclei-free low-quality cells in reference single-cell atlases: a call for more stringent quality control using nuclear fraction - BMC Genomics
The advent of droplet-based single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has dramatically increased data throughput, enabling the release of a diverse array of tissue cell atlases to the public. However, we...
bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com
December 3, 2024 at 9:38 AM
Anyone working with single nuclei data should read this paper! (single cell too, but for nuclei data it's essential)
If I could only have one QC metric for single nuclei data, it would be spliced pct / intronic fraction (I think it's more useful even than number of UMIs 🤯).
#SingleCell
If I could only have one QC metric for single nuclei data, it would be spliced pct / intronic fraction (I think it's more useful even than number of UMIs 🤯).
#SingleCell