Dr. Tiago Rito is a distinguished systems biologist leading groundbreaking research into the fundamental mechanisms of embryonic development at the Francis Crick Institute in London. As head of the Tissue Design Lab, he directs an innovative program that integrates computational modeling with experimental embryology to unravel the complex processes governing body axis formation. With a strong foundation in statistics and systems biology, Dr. Rito has established himself as a prominent investigator through his interdisciplinary approach to understanding tissue morphogenesis. His work bridges quantitative analysis with developmental biology to decipher the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms that shape the vertebrate body plan during early embryogenesis.
Dr. Rito's research has made significant contributions to our understanding of how embryos construct the trunk region through his pioneering studies on notochord formation and progenitor cell behavior. His recent Nature publication revealed that timely TGFβ signaling inhibition is essential for proper notochord development, establishing a more comprehensive in vitro model of human trunk formation that overcomes limitations in previous approaches. By identifying two major groups of progenitor cells—neuromesodermal progenitors capable of developing into neural or mesodermal tissue and notochord progenitors that form the intervertebral disks—his work has provided critical insights into embryonic patterning. His innovative development of an in vivo CRISPR screening methodology in chick embryos uncovered the previously unknown role of MLLT3 in neural cell specification, fundamentally advancing our understanding of neural tube formation and cell fate determination.
Dr. Rito's integrative research philosophy, which combines classic embryology, human stem cell biology, and computational approaches, has positioned him at the forefront of systems-level understanding of developmental processes. His laboratory has developed sophisticated models that enable precise manipulation of signaling pathways during key developmental windows, providing the scientific community with powerful experimental tools. Through his leadership in the field, Dr. Rito continues to explore the intricate signaling networks and temporal dynamics that govern embryonic patterning and tissue organization. His current research focuses on deciphering the exact timing mechanisms that control cell fate decisions during body axis elongation, with significant implications for regenerative medicine and addressing congenital disorders related to trunk development.
