Research

The Dominguez Lab explores how cells and tissues behave in real time within living mammals, using advanced 4D imaging techniques such as light-sheet, confocal, and multiphoton microscopy. Our overarching goal is to decode the cellular and molecular logic of cardiovascular development, injury, and regeneration. By combining intravital imaging with powerful machine learning or AI-based analysis, we transform massive imaging datasets into useful mechanistic models. We focus on understanding how mechanical forces shape heart and vessel function, and how these pathways go awry in disease. Committed to open science, we also develop and share reproducible hardware, software, and protocols to empower the broader research community.

In vivo 4D imaging

Light-sheet and intravital imaging strategies to observe cell behaviors and tissue dynamics in intact mammalian systems across space and time.

Quantitative reconstruction

Segmentation, tracking, lineage inference, and spatiotemporal analyses to convert 4D big imaging data into mechanistic models.

Mechanobiology & remodeling

Mechanical signaling pathways that govern fibrosis, adaptation, and failure, integrated across imaging and molecular readouts.

Open methods & instrumentation

Open, reproducible protocols, as well as microscopy hardware and software to democratize advanced measurement in biology.