My main research interest is to determine the spatial arrangement and temporal activity of the genetic material in the Caenorhabditis elegans cell nucleus and to understand how these impact gene regulation and hence, cell differentiation. The spatial positioning of genes and whole chromosomes is determined in different embryonic lineages using multi-color 3D DNA FISH, with the aim of identifying lineage-specific patterns. My group is also investigating a recently-described property of gene regulation whereby periods of activity alternate with periods of inactivity. Using single molecule RNA FISH and live imaging of transcription, we plan to determine whether the frequency, duration and amplitude of transcriptional pulses are related to gene position in the nucleus. Our long term goal is to link spatial and temporal aspects of gene regulation in the developing worm.