Cell migration is important for development of any complex organism. Inability of cells to migrate to their proper positions leads to a number of diseases and disorders. Cell migration is essential in immunity, tissue repair, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, and cancer metastasis. Understanding how cell migration is regulated is not only important for our understanding of development, but holds potential for treatment of cell migration related disorders and diseases such as cancer.

I conducted genetic screens to identify genes necessary for cell migration. I isolated and characterized a mutation in cfz-2, a C. elegans Frizzled gene. I showed that Wnts, morphogens that function in many developmental processes, play a critical role in directing cell migration. Loss of Wnts, or their receptors Frizzleds, results in cell migration and axon defects. Multiple Wnts and Frizzleds function redundantly for some cell migrations, and antagonistically for others. I have also found that a histone deacetylase hda-1 is important for cell migration, axon guidance, and nervous system organization. The research presented here furthers our understanding of what mechanisms guide cell migrations during development.