The Hippo/YAP-TAZ signaling pathway plays an important role in the regulation of cellular proliferation, stem cell niches and cancer. It serves as an integrator of cell surface-mediated inputs in tissue homeostasis (such as cell density and mechanotransduction) and is involved in critical developmental and tumorigenic processes such as epithelial to mesenchymal transitions (EMT). We study Hippo/YAP-TAZ pathway in the context of cell surface molecular signaling interactions, physiological EMT in neural crest development and malignancy, specifically neurodevelopmental/pediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma.