Andrew Goryachev

Cell morphogenesis and pattern formation.

Andrew Goryachev is a computational cell biologist and biophysicist who works on the interface of experimental biology and theory. He earned his PhD in theoretical chemistry from the University of Toronto, Canada, for the discovery of synchronization defect lines in media with complex periodic oscillations, such as heart tissue. He started his own research group in Singapore in 2003 and moved it to the University of Edinburgh in 2006. 

He is currently a Professor of Computational Cell Biology at the Centre for Engineering Biology, Institute of Cell Biology. In close collaboration with leading cell and developmental biologists worldwide, his group builds biophysical models of cellular morphogenesis and pattern formation. His main interest is the elucidation of biophysical mechanisms of symmetry breaking in cells. Andrew is known for his work on the pattern-forming role of small GTPases, cell polarity and mechanistic modelling of cell morphogenesis.

photo of Andrew Goryachev

Dr. Marcin Leda, Senior Research Associate
Daniel Cebrian-Lacasa, PhD Student
Jiawei Yu, PhD Student


We use mathematical modelling to study biophysical mechanisms of cellular morphogenesis and pattern formation. Biological cells continuously assemble and disassemble various structures like protrusions, adhesions, cell-division furrows, neurites, etc. We want to understand how the cells decide where and when to make them, how the cells control the size, number and even spacing between these structures. 


Model of a microridge pattern
Model of the actin microridge pattern forming on the surface of embryonic fish cells. For details see van Loon, Erofeev, et al., J. Cell Biol. 219(3) e201904144 (2020).

W. Bement, A. Goryachev, A. Miller, G. von Dassow, Patterning of the cell cortex by Rho GTPases. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol., 25(4), 290 - 308, (2024).

K. Lavrsen, G. Rajendraprasad, M. Leda, S. Elbes, E. Vitiello, V. Katopodis, A. Goryachev, M. Barisic, Microtubule detyrosination drives symmetry breaking to polarize cells for directed cell migration. PNAS, 120(22):e2300322120, (2023).

A. Michaud, M. Leda, Z. Swider, S. Kim, J. He, J. Valley, J. Huisken, J. Landino, A. Goryachev, G. von Dassow, W. Bement, A versatile cortical pattern-forming circuit based on Rho, F-actin, Ect2, and RGA-3/4. J. Cell Biol., 221(8):e202203017, (2022).

A. van Loon, I. Erofeev, I. Maryshev, A. Goryachev, A. Sagasti,  Cortical contraction drives the 3D patterning of epithelial cell surfaces, J Cell Biol, 219(3), e201904144 (2020).

M. Leda, A. Holland, A. Goryachev, Autoamplification and competition drive symmetry breaking: Initiation of centriole duplication by the PLK4-STIL network, iScience, 8, 222 – 235 (2018).

S. Okada, M. Leda, J. Hanna, N. Savage, E. Bi, A. Goryachev, Daughter cell identity emerges from the interplay of Cdc42, septins, and exocytosis. Dev. Cell, 26(2), 148 - 161 (2013).


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