Barriga describes his work as kidnapping tools from different research fields to understand morphogenenis. “It was biomechanics in the postdoc and now in my lab it is tools from bioelectricity. We are adapting tools from materials sciences and electrophysiology to extract biophysical quantities from embryos,” he says.
“We finally have the tools to look at how one cell population within an embryo reads and responds to multiple stimuli arising from biomechanical, bioelectrical or metabolic switches to secure morphogenesis.”
Barriga says young researchers should not rely on studying only molecular or only biophysical processes. “Complexity emerges from the interplay of it all. Go with an open mind,” he says.
“Our contribution is to generate quantities of data that can be plugged into theory to eventually have an integrative model of morphogenesis. It’s a huge challenge!”
Barriga stresses that developing such a model will be a collaborative effort involving theorists and experimentalists which may stretch beyond his scientific lifetime. As a result, he sees training new scientists as essential.
“Part of my mission is not only to generate tools or information, but also to train people that can embrace these challenging ideas,” Barriga says. “For example, last summer I put together a small pilot course in the biophysics and evolution of morphogenesis. We went to Patagonia in the very South of Chile, and we got students from all around Chile that were either pure physicists or pure biologists.”
The course was a learning opportunity for both groups and reinforced to Barriga that data analysis should now be considered an essential tool for biologists.
“For any biologist with no experience in data analysis or instrumentation, after three months in a lab here in Dresden they will go back to their lab like another person,” he says.
As a former Fellow, and current Installation Grantee and Young Investigator, Barriga has received support from EMBO throughout his career. “It has been essential for me. Beyond the money, EMBO has nurtured my career. The networking activities are essential.”