B05

Mathematical approaches to Wnt signaling in space and time: From development to cancer

Funding period: 2017-2029

Project B05

Project Leaders

Prof. Dr. Anna Marciniak-Czochra

 Project Leader B05

Abstract

This project develops mathematical models to study how Wnt signaling regulates pattern formation, stem cell dynamics, and tissue organization in development, regeneration, and cancer. We focus on three systems: pattern formation in Hydra, stem cell control in adult neurogenesis and glioblastoma, and stem cell identity in Drosophila niches. Our approach combines mathematical modeling with statistical inference and model-based data analysis. A key challenge is integrating mechanistic models with single-cell transcriptomics and spatial data. These models will enable rigorous hypothesis testing and uncover feedbacks and robustness principles in Wnt-mediated processes.

Project-related Publications

Cross-species comparison reveals therapeutic vulnerabilities halting glioblastoma progression

Foerster LC, Kaya O, Wüst V, Danciu DP, Akcay V, Bekavac M, Ziegler KC, Stinchcombe N, Tang A, Kleber S, Tang J, Brunken J, Lois-Bermejo I, Gesteira-Perez N, Ma X, Sadik A, Le PU, Petrecca K, Opitz CA, Liu H, Wirtz CR, Goncalves A, Marciniak-Czochra A, Anders S, Martin-Villalba A. Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 6;16(1):7250. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62528-w.

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Unraveling regulatory feedback mechanisms in adult neurogenesis through mathematical modelling

Danciu, DP., Klawe, F.Z., Kazarnikov, A., Femmer, L., Kostina, E., Martin-Villalba, A. and Marciniak-Czochra, A. Unraveling regulatory feedback mechanisms in adult neurogenesis through mathematical modelling. npj Syst Biol Appl 11, 82 (2025). doi:10.1038/s41540-025-00563-5

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Injury-induced MAPK activation triggers body axis formation in Hydra by default Wnt signaling

Tursch A, Bartsch N, Mercker M, Schlüter J, Lommel M, Marciniak-Czochra A, Özbek S, Holstein TW. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Aug 30;119(35):e2204122119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2204122119. Epub 2022 Aug 22. PMID: 35994642

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The Wnt-specific astacin proteinase HAS-7 restricts head organizer formation in Hydra

Ziegler B, Yiallouros I, Trageser B, Kumar S, Mercker M, Kling S, Fath M, Warnken U, Schnölzer M, Holstein TW, Hartl M, Marciniak-Czochra A, Stetefeld J, Stöcker W, Özbek S. BMC Biol. 2021 Jun 9;19(1):120. 
PMID: 34107975

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Long-time shadow limit for a reaction–diffusion-ODE system

Kowall, C., A. Marciniak-Czochra, and A. Mikelic. February 2021. Applied Mathematics Letters. 106790.

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Hysteresis-driven pattern formation in reaction-diffusion-ODE systems

Alexandra Köthe, Anna Marciniak-Czochra  and  Izumi Takagi. American Institute of Mathematical Science. June  2020, 40(6): 3595-3627. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2020170

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Quiescence Modulates Stem Cell Maintenance and Regenerative Capacity in the Aging Brain

Kalamakis G, Brüne D, Ravichandran S, Bolz J, Fan W, Ziebell F, Stiehl T, Catalá-Martinez F, Kupke J, Zhao S, Llorens-Bobadilla E, Bauer K, Limpert S, Berger B, Christen U, Schmezer P, Mallm JP, Berninger B, Anders S, Del Sol A, Marciniak-Czochra A, Martin-Villalba A. Cell. 2019 Mar 7;176(6):1407-1419.e14. PMID: 30827680

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Post-Turing tissue pattern formation: Advent of mechanochemistry

Brinkmann F, Mercker M, Richter T, Marciniak-Czochra A. PLoS Comput Biol. 2018 Jul 3;14(7):e1006259. PMID:29969460

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Dynamical spike solutions in a nonlocal model of pattern formation

Marciniak-Czochra, S. Härting, G. Karch and K. Suzuki (2018, Mar 27), Nonlinearity 31: 1757.

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Revealing age related changes of adult hippocampal neurogenesis using mathematical models

Ziebell F, Dehler S, Martin-Villalba A, Marciniak-Czochra A. Development. 2018 Jan 8;145(1):dev153544. doi: 10.1242/dev.153544. PMID: 29229768

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Stable patterns with jump discontinuity in systems with Turing instability and hysteresis

Härting, S., A. Marciniak-Czochra, and I. Takagi. February 2017. Disc. Cont. Dyn. Systems A. 37: 757-800.

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Mechanochemical symmetry breaking in Hydra aggregates

Mercker M, Köthe A, Marciniak-Czochra A. Biophys J. 2015 May 5;108(9):2396-407. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.03.033. PMID: 25954896

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A mechanochemical model for embryonic pattern formation: Coupling tissue mechanics and morphogen expression

Mercker M, Hartmann D, Marciniak-Czochra A. PLoS One. 2013 Dec 20;8(12):e82617. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082617. eCollection 2013. PMID: 24376555

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