About

My scientific journey began in Dr. Robert Cerny's Lab at the Charles University in Prague where I was first introduced to the captivating realms of embryology and evo-devo. While pursuing my Ph.D., I participated in the 2017 Embryology Course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This experience deepened my passion for studying the intriguing and diverse organisms that play crucial roles in expanding our understanding of evolution and development. My dissertation thesis focused on analyzing cranial neural crest migration and differentiation in several fishes with an emphasis on all basal lineages, including bichirs and sturgeons. For post-doctoral studies, my goal was to gain a more in-depth understanding of the neural crest at a molecular level. To this end, I joined the laboratory of Professor Marianne Bronner at the California Institute of Technology. To study the possible role of the neural crest in both development and regeneration in non-models like lamprey and sturgeon, I was awarded a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the European Union (co-hosted by Caltech in the US and the University of South Bohemia in Czech Republic).

Research

Development and evolution of the neural crest odontoskeletogenic ability

The neural crest is an important stem cell population in the evolution and development of vertebrates, playing a key role in evolving predatory skills and expanding the skull and brain. In vertebrate embryos, the neural crest divides into several subpopulations based on origins, such as the cranial, vagal, and trunk neural crest. Although all these populations share a common set of genes, they are also unique depending on their specific region of origin along the body axis. I use comparative molecular analyses and cell lineage analyses to investigate the developmental potential of neural crest cells across early branching lineages of vertebrates, such as lampreys and sturgeons. My particular focus is on their odontoskeletogenic ability to produce hard tissues such as bone and dentin. The results from these analyses will provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms and alterations within specific developmental programs along the body axis, emphasizing what confers the ability to make bone or dentin.

Selected Publications

• Stundl J, Martik ML, Chen D, Raja DA, Franěk R, Pospisilova A, Pšenička M, Metscher BD, Braasch I, Haitina T, Cerny R, Ahlberg PE, Bronner ME. Ancient vertebrate dermal armor evolved from trunk neural crest. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jul 25;120(30):e2221120120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2221120120. Epub 2023 Jul 17. PMID: 37459514; PMCID: PMC10372632.

• Stundl J, Bronner ME. The Neural Crest and the Development of Odontoskeletogenic Potential Along the Body Axis. In Odontodes. 2023. CRC Press. ISBN: 9781003439653

neural crest and its role in regeneration

The capacity for scarless regeneration seems to have gradually diminished throughout vertebrate evolution as tissues and organs increased their complexity. Thus, 'basal' vertebrates serve as valuable model systems for gaining deeper insights into tissue repair abilities, as they may unveil ancestral regeneration mechanisms. To study this, I employ a comparative approach, focusing on lampreys and sturgeons, both renowned for their exceptional regenerative potential and important phylogenetic position. Regeneration is a multifaceted process involving various cell populations, with glial cells emerging as particularly significant players. Notably, neural crest cells form all of the glia in the vertebrate peripheral nervous system, raising the possibility that they may represent a stem cell-like population that can repair vertebrate tissues. Thus, my research aims to investigate the role of neural crest stem cells in promoting tissue repair (e.g. heart tissues - supported by MSCA No. 897949) in vertebrates.

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES UNDERLYING THE EARLIEST EVENTS IN VERTEBRATE EVOLUTION

To comprehend the developmental programs driving evolution of the early vertebrate body plan, I utilize a comparative approach, studying a diverse range of phylogenetically important non-model organisms such as lamprey and sturgeon alongside established models like zebrafish and salamanders. I primarily aim to decipher the developmental roles of neural crest and mesodermal cells in the formation of vertebrate skeleton and larval organs.

Selected Publications

• Tzung KW, Lalonde RL, Prummel KD, Mahabaleshwar H, Moran HR, Stundl J, Cass AN, Le Y, Lea R, Dorey K, Tomecka MJ, Zhang C, Brombacher EC, White WT, Roehl HH, Tulenko FJ, Winkler C, Currie PD, Amaya E, Davis MC, Bronner ME, Mosimann C, Carney TJ. A median fin derived from the lateral plate mesoderm and the origin of paired fins. Nature. 2023 Jun;618(7965):543-549. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06100-w. Epub 2023 May 24. PMID: 37225983; PMCID: PMC10266977.

• Stundl J, Pospisilova A, Jandzik D, Fabian P, Dobiasova B, Minarik M, Metscher BD, Soukup V, Cerny R. Bichir external gills arise via heterochronic shift that accelerates hyoid arch development. Elife. 2019 Mar 26;8:e43531. doi: 10.7554/eLife.43531. PMID: 30910008; PMCID: PMC6440740.

This research received public funding. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the articles listed below, please feel free to contact me.

View all publications »

A LAMPREY NEURAL CELL TYPE ATLAS ILLUMINATES THE ORIGINS OF THE VERTEBRATE BRAIN. Lamanna, F., Hervas-Sotomayor, F., Oel, A. P., Jandzik, D., Sobrido-Cameán, D., Santos-Durán, G. N., Martik, M. L., Stundl, J., Green, S. A., Brüning, T., … & Henrik Kaessmann (2023). Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7: 1714–1728.

PRE-MANDIBULAR PHARYNGEAL POUCHES IN EARLY NON-TELEOST FISH EMBRYOS. Horackova, A., Pospisilova, A., Stundl, J., Minarik, M., Jandzik, D., Cerny, R. (2023). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 290: 20231158.

ANCIENT VERTEBRATE DERMAL ARMOR EVOLVED FROM TRUNK NEURAL CREST. Stundl, J.*, Martik, M. L., Chen, D., Raja, D. A., Franěk, R., Pospisilova, A., Pšenička, M., Metcher, B. D., Braasch, I., Haitina, T., Cerny, R., Ahlberg, P. E., Bronner, M. E.* (2023). The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 120: e2221120120. * co-corresponding authors

- > Commentary for PNAS written by Andrew Gillis

A MEDIAN FIN DERIVED FROM THE LATERAL PLATE MESODERM AND THE ORIGIN OF PAIRED FINS. Tzung, K. W., Lalonde, R. L., Prummel, K. D., Mahabaleshwar, H., Moran, H. R., Stundl, J., ... & Carney, T. J. (2023). Nature, 618: 543–549.

EVOLUTION OF THE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE FAMILY IN VERTEBRATES AND NOVEL INSIGHTS IN GILL DEVELOPMENT. Annona, G., Sato, I., Pascual-Anaya, J., Osca, D., Braasch, I., Voss, R., Stundl, J., ... & D'Aniello, S. (2022). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 289: 20220667.

THE REMARKABLE DYNAMICS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT, REARRANGEMENT, AND LOSS OF DENTITION DURING THE ONTOGENY OF THE STERLET STURGEON. Pospisilova, A., Stundl, J., Brejcha, J., Metscher, B. D., Psenicka, M., Cerny, R., & Soukup, V. (2022). Developmental Dynamics, 251: 826–845.

EFFICIENT CRISPR MUTAGENESIS IN STURGEON DEMONSTRATES ITS UTILITY IN LARGE, SLOW-MATURING VERTEBRATES. Stundl, J., Soukup, V., Franěk, R., Pospisilova, A., Psutkova, V., Pšenička, M., ... & Jandzik, D. (2022). Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 10: 750833.

EVOLUTION OF NEW CELL TYPES AT THE LATERAL NEURAL BORDER. Stundl, J., Bertucci, P. Y., Lauri, A., Arendt, D., & Bronner, M. E. (2021). Current Topics in Developmental Biology, 141: 173–205.

MIGRATORY PATTERNS AND EVOLUTIONARY PLASTICITY OF CRANIAL NEURAL CREST CELLS IN RAY-FINNED FISHES. Stundl, J.*, Pospisilova, A., Matějková, T., Psenicka, M., Bronner, M. E., & Cerny, R.* (2020). Developmental Biology, 467: 14–29. * co-corresponding authors

EMBRYONIC AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN PIKE: AN EMERGING FISH MODEL SYSTEM FOR EVO‐DEVO RESEARCH. Pospisilova, A., Brejcha, J., Miller, V., Holcman, R., Šanda, R., & Stundl, J.* (2019). Journal of Morphology, 280: 1118–1140. * corresponding author

BICHIR EXTERNAL GILLS ARISE VIA HETEROCHRONIC SHIFT THAT ACCELERATES HYOID ARCH DEVELOPMENT. Stundl, J., Pospisilova, A., Jandzik, D., Fabian, P., Dobiasova, B., Minarik, M., ... & Cerny, R. (2019). eLife, 8: e43531.

PRE-ORAL GUT CONTRIBUTES TO FACIAL STRUCTURES IN NON-TELEOST FISHES. Minarik, M., Stundl, J., Fabian, P., Jandzik, D., Metscher, B. D., Psenicka, M., ... & Cerny, R. (2017). Nature, 547: 209–212.

outreach

I am the first-generation in my family with a college education, and I was only able to deepen my passion for science thanks to the support and encouragement of people and mentors during the course of my career. Now, I would like to encourage and support young students to do science, and I aim to support and nurture an environment that provides opportunities for all and values the creativity and inclusivity of future generations of scientists.

Being a scientist is not always easy. This life path demands perseverance, boundless passion, and a lot of inspiration. Through video interviews showcasing scientists from diverse backgrounds, I hope to inspire you to chase your dreams and understand that even the most successful scientists faced/face various obstacles.

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