Shaohe Wang is seeking to understand the principles of mammalian organ development. Shaohe and his team are particularly interested in the coordinated tissue morphogenesis that, through the dynamic interplay of cells and the extracellular matrix, generates tree-like branched structures, as found in the lungs, kidneys, and various glands. To discover these principles, the team combines embryonic and reconstitution approaches and employs live imaging, sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, genetic perturbation, and targeted protein degradation. This work is foundational for developing gene, cell, and tissue engineering-based therapies for organs.